Creative thinking and innovation were showcased once again when 38 teams from across Maine gathered at Noble High School on March 26 for the first Odyssey of the Mind State Tournament since March of 2019.

Three teams from Gorham Schools were excited to attend and present their solutions to a panel of judges and live audience.

A Gorham Middle School (GMS) team brought home the first place trophy in their division for the Classics Problem. Their musical performance told the story of Mansa Musa, King of Mali, a lesser-known historical figure from the 1300’s who shared his wealth, built universities and brought prosperity to his kingdom. Team members included Nara Holland, Abigail McCrillis, Isable Hamann, Isla Rutherford and coach Diane Knott.

Another GMS team tackled the Tech Problem and earned second place in their division. The team, including Nikoli Wilkins, Oliver Emerson, Abe Palme, Samuel Joy, Brayden Logan, Riley McCallister and coach Elizabeth Wilkins, engineered a creative device designed to remove an environmental threat and restore an ecosystem.

The Gorham High School (GHS) team chose the Classics Problem, earning second place in their division. This team introduced the audience to Kate Warne’s lesser-known historic past as the first female private investigator in the US. She is also known for helping foil an assassination plot against Abraham Lincoln. The team included Emma Mullin, Elsie Bradshaw, Libbie Merrill, Clara Shvets and was coached by Rebecca Ambrose.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational organization that provides an opportunity for students to work on a team, apply their talents and think creatively to solve problems. Students are required to keep their expenses within a budget and to do all work without outside assistance. By participating in the program, students develop real life-skills such as leadership, collaboration, communication and both critical and creative thinking.