Warwick OMERs are gearing up for regionals… Most. Odyssey. Teams. Ever!

February 26, 2024

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.

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…