A group of P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School students will face off against more than 800 teams from about 25 countries to solve tough problems in the most creative manner possible.
Seven students will travel to Michigan State University to compete in the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals from May 22 to May 25.
J. L. Kirby, a social studies teacher and head coach of the team, said he liked how the school’s program teaches students collaboration and creative thinking. He added the philosophy of the competition fits well with the nature of the school.
“I think P.K. has a lot of advantages,” he said. “There’s a big push on math and sciences, which is part of the [program], and also places a large push on the arts that some schools don’t have.”
Each team is judged on its creativity in solving various technical problems, such as building structures in an eight-minute skit. The teams have a limited $125 to $145 budget for props and building materials. The teams are also given a spontaneous problem to solve, which are much shorter than the eight minutes for skits.
Joey McGinn, a 16-year-old P.K. Yonge sophomore and first-year member of the team, said he likes how the program teaches different perspectives when tackling a problem.
“There’s always going to be another way to look at it,” he said.
