SEND VA STATE CHAMPS TO THE ODYSSEY WORLD FINALS!

Have you heard the exciting news?! For the second year in a row an amazing student team from Arlington, Virginia is heading to Odyssey of the Mind WORLD FINALS!! This team of creative fifth-grade students has spent months iterating and perfecting a solution to a long-term problem that required engineering and building an autonomous vehicle without any “outside assistance” from adults or others.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international creative problem-solving competition. This incredible team of girls is sponsored by the DC Chapter of the Women in IP Network (WIN). WIN DC's mission is to be a positive, personal, professional network, changing IP law for the better. Women in IP Network is supportive of our team of aspiring young women engineers and inventors. This team of creative fifth graders hail from several local elementary schools including Glebe Elementary, Discovery Elementary, St. Agnes Catholic School, and Flint Hill Elementary School.

For their solution, this team of creative kids developed a vehicle that drove independently to a drive in movie theatre acquiring a ticket, concessions, backing into a parking and even joining the movie being shown at the theatre. As part of their solution, they also developed a humorous 8-minute performance with a cast of 7 characters wearing team-designed and constructed costumes and set. The Odyssey experience has taught these girls that they can achieve big goals with determination and hard work. It has given them opportunities for collaboration and developing strong leadership skills.

The team’s inventive solution and dynamic presentation won FIRST PLACE at the Virginia State Tournament for their problem/division! Their win at the State Tournament qualifies the team to advance to the Odyssey of the Mind WORLD FINALS.

Now, we are raising funds to send the team to the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals in Ames, Iowa. Our total costs for the trip will be approximately $21,000 for the tournament fees, lodging, flights to and from IOWA, ground transportation, transporting the solution materials and meals for the kids, coaches and chaperones during the four-day competition.

Donations can be made here to support the team, so they can go compete against students from all over the US and around the world!

The team is extremely grateful for any donation or expression of support. Thank you! Many thanks for supporting the team on this incredible accomplishment and journey!