Dear Parents,

It is the time of year when Odyssey of the Mind teams begin to form and choose their problem to compete and therefore it is time for our Odyssey of the Mind kick-off information session!  Attending the information session is required to participate in the program.  Redding teams have competed at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals level the past 2 years, so we are excited to get the program rolling again for 2026-2027.

Join us Thursday September 10th at 6PM via Google Meets: 

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/unr-oyhz-hhr

What is Odyssey of the Mind?

Odyssey is a long term problem solving competition where the solution relies entirely on the students- no parental help or outside assistance!  In addition to the long term problem, students learn to solve problems rapid-fire for the Spontaneous Problem.  Out of the box thinking, creativity, and performance skills are all honed throughout the season as Odyssey requires students to work across disciplines: including science, engineering, writing, arts, performance and more.

See more on the national Odyssey of the Mind Website, at https://odysseyofthemind.com/ 

Who is Odyssey for?

Division 1 covers grades 3-5 and division 2 covers grades 6-8.  Teams of mixed ages, interests, and genders tend to be the strongest!

Odyssey of the mind is for all types of students, especially those that are curious and enjoy problem solving, writing, PUNS and humor, tinkering, being artistic and performing.  All problems involve characters, costumes, and sets in addition to solving the actual “problem”.  

What is the time commitment for students?

Two practices per week; one week day (likely Friday, but TBD) and Saturday morning from 10AM-1PM starting the first week of October and continuing through competition in March.  Attendance is required; the team cannot make decisions or move forward if a student is not fully committed.  Missing practice can (and will) happen, but team members are expected to prioritize the program.  There will be no practices during school breaks or holidays.  Students will also be expected to do some work outside of practice, especially as the program progresses.  

What does the program cost?

Participation through the state competition is free.  If teams make it to the World Finals, parents will be expected to pay for a portion of the costs.  We will share more about that process in the information session.  Odyssey is sponsored jointly by the RES and JRMS PTAs.

How do I sign my student up?

Attend the information session and decide if Odyssey is a good fit, and we will send out information regarding team formation.  The program will not run if there are not enough students to form teams.

Best,

Odyssey of the Mind Coaches Kristina Scaviola and Sue Rossov