Warwick OMERs are gearing up for regionals… Most. Odyssey. Teams. Ever!
To say Odyssey of the Mind is a big deal in Warwick Valley is an understatement. It is easily one of the most popular co-curricular activities that our district offers, and its popularity reaches across all grade levels. In fact, it is so popular, that Warwick Valley is sending its largest contingent of teams ever to the Region 5 tournament — 11 teams — this Saturday, March 2, at OU-BOCES.
The teams have been busy preparing since first receiving their problems in early October (you can see them hard at work in the gallery below this story). They’ve been up to their elbows in cardboard, tape, glue sticks, paint, all manner of props and costumes and mechanisms. They’ve been brainstorming, designing, testing, revising. Each team’s goal is to prepare the best possible solution for their problem, and each solution must be an original creation, including both practical and performative aspects.
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There are three Primary Teams heading to the Region 5 competition. This year’s Primary Problem is entitled, “The Night Life”, and their solution must include a performance about an explorer character that searches for things in nature that “wake up” at nighttime. It will also include a team-created original discovery, something that lights up, and a team member in costume that represents a nocturnal animal. Our Primary Teams are…
Primary Team 1
- Annabel Chan
- Ava Gervase
- Stella Bisla
- Macie Fisher
- Jayden Brigandi
- Henry Treloar
- Julianna Penland
Primary Team 2
- Elizabeth Chavez Carey
- Annaliese Garcia
- Emilie Hasbrouck
- Leila Maass
- Olivia McPherson
- Yazzy Rutkevitz
- June Spicehandler
Primary Team 3
- Joe Donnelly
- George Foy
- Matteo Crisano
- Asher Pope
- Dominic Costanza
- Christian Carrasquillo
- Iliane Seid
We have two teams competing in Problem #1. The problem is a classic Odyssey “vehicle challenge,” and is entitled “Drive-In Movie.” Teams must design, build, and run a vehicle with a team-created rider that travels to a drive-in theater. In the performance, the movie takes place all around the vehicle when suddenly a team-created special-effect occurs on the vehicle that makes it seem to become part of the action! It will include a lead actor character along with all the fun that comes with this nostalgic outdoor movie experience. Our Problem #1 teams are…
- Mila Chan
- Elizabeth Crispino
- Matthew Gervase
- Anthony Gervase
- Brynn Hasbrouck
- Asher Sanghafi
- Calvin Tower
- Lilah Diaz
- Eamonn Byrne
- Madison Candia
- Angelica Costanza
- Blake Harrison
- Emily Powers
- John Powers
We have three teams competing in the technical challenge, Problem #2, called “AI Tech-NO-Art.” OMERs will design, build, and operate an Artificial Intelligence Tech-NO-Art device that determines if a work of art is beautiful or not. It will dismantle a work of art that it decides is not beautiful to create a new work of art it believes is beautiful. The humorous performance will also include an artist character that stands up for their work of art, sound effects, and team-created artwork. Our Problem #2 teams are…
- Verdigris Bisla
- Ettamova Byrne
- Molly Cook
- Gavin Kleinman
- Ella Shaw
- Phoebe Shostal
- Emilia Zalewski
- Sophia Samborski
- Conner Price
- Mary Hoey
- Emily Laule
- Arnav Sinha
- Olivia Holland
- Oliver Annucci
- Kaitlyn Cosco
- Addi Emm
- Addison Hurd
- Allie Lundgren
- Ulysses Michelson
- Stella Serafin
We have two teams competing in Problem #3, a “classics” challenge called “Classics… Opening Night Antics.” For this problem, teams will portray the Opening Night of a play based on a classic story. The Opening Night performance will not go as planned and will include a set malfunction, unexpected sound effects, and a theater critic. Despite the Opening Night Antics, the show is a success! Our Problem #3 OMERs are…
- Dylan Chan
- Maddie Maybeck
- Tessa Larsen
- Cole Treloar
- Aviva Bing
- Aria Saghafi
- Mia Gervase
- Miles Allen
- Sophia Amato
- Cavan Byrne
- Nina Cirillo
- Isabella Costanza
- Lucas Cresser
- Arianna Weinberg
We have one team competing in Problem #5. Problem #5 is a performance problem called “Rocking World Detour.” In this problem, OMERs must create a performance about a rock band on tour. Things get derailed in a very Odyssey way — while playing a song, the band is transported to an unexpected location. The band members must figure out how to use music to get them back on their tour. The performance will also include band merchandise and original hairstyles. For those about to rock Problem #5, we salute…
- Max Lijoi
- Ronan Sezack
- Miles Alzamora
- Alexandra Neary
- Gia Patel
- Luna Semioli
- Isaac Spicehandler
During last year’s Odyssey season, three of our teams advanced to the New York State round of competition. The year before, teams from Sanfordville and Warwick Valley High School brought home trophies from Worlds! And let’s not forget the unconventional 2021 Odyssey season, which really tested our OMER’s dedication and perseverance, from the Regional competition right through the the Virtual World Finals.
Warwick Valley OMers… Good luck (and have fun) at this year’s Region 5 tournament!
