Support Stanley Middle School's OM Team

Many of these kids have been working creatively together since the second grade! Now a team of 7th graders will represent Stanley Middle School and Lafayette at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals in Michigan later this month. And they could use your help.

Odyssey of the Mind is a decades-old, global, creative competition that engages kids in STEAM (or Science Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) problem-solving activities. The teams range from kindergarten through college students who compete in age-appropriate divisions to solve long-term and spontaneous problems.

This year’s competition is expected to draw hundreds of teams from across the

United States and over 22 countries. At the competition, each team will present a creative solution to one of five long-term open-ended problems and a spontaneous “think-on-your-feet” challenge.

For the long-term problem, the Stanley team created a modern reinterpretation of the Greek classic The Iliad, during which a “Trojan Horse” must get past a figurative “wall.” Their performance must feature a Greek chorus, a character from The Iliad, and an unusual statue. After their initial planning, the team created a script based on a food theme, where a delivery company creates a grocery delivery ruse to gain entry into a rival company’s headquarters and take back a prestigious award. The team’s elaborately engineered set, costumes, and props – made almost entirely from recycled and upcycled materials – earned them first place for overall style in their division at the Northern California championships.

Since their showing at the state competition, the team has been refining their solution and preparing to ship their materials to the championship. Shipping their multi-paneled 4’ x 4’ set and elaborate costumes will be costly, so the team is looking to the Lafayette community for support. They will be out in the Lamorinda area raising money this month to help them ship these materials to Michigan.

If you’re inspired to support this creative group of middle schoolers and help them represent Lafayette on the world stage, please donate today!