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ATLANTA--After having placed first in the high school division of the State
Odyssey of the Mind international problem-solving competition in April, a team
of middle school students from St. John Neumann Regional School in Lilburn will
represent Georgia and the Archdiocese of Atlanta in the World Games on May 26
in Knoxville, Tenn.
Members of the winning “Over the Mountain” team of seventh and
eighth graders, the first team from a Georgia Catholic school to make it to the
international competition, are Courtney Kane, Stephen McConnell, Jack Sawyer,
Jennifer Conner, Michael Butterick, Austin Kane and Kara Church.
The team was required to compete on the high school level because one member
was 10 days too old for the middle school division. Undaunted, members worked
hard and placed first in the vehicular category, one of the five categories for
high school students that involved solving problems associated with building a
vehicle, traveling through three countries, going over a mountain without
touching it and getting back home.
In the academic competition, seven-member teams creatively solve the problem
that they are assigned through the presentation of an eight-minute skit. Teams
received the problem in September and worked on the solution throughout the
school year. They presented the skit to a panel of 10 judges at the March
regional competition and then at the state competition.
SJNRS sponsored two other teams this year. The “Ratiometric” team
won the regional competition in the middle school division and represented the
school in the state competition. Members included Marybeth Bucklen, Rachel
Chamberlin, Jeff Gallow, Becca Heisler, Kaitlin Horlander, Kristy Lopez and
Matt Stephens.
Faculty member Barbara Sneed is school moderator for the Odyssey program,
and parent volunteer coaches have assisted student teams throughout the school
year. Last year, 38 countries and 49 states were represented at the
international competition.
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