Montgomery Elementary School Odyssey of the Mind students solved the Structure Problem. Front row left to right: Cara Bossley, Olivia Walk, Kurrah Bohner, and Izzy Wright. Back Row left to right: Gabe Wright, Makenna Magargle, and Jessica Bohner.

MONTGOMERY – Five county teams went to state competition in Berwick for this year’s Odyssey of the Mind according to coach Allen Horn and Montgomery was one of them. Montgomery Area Elementary School finished second in Division I of Stackable Structures. Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program to help students find creative solutions to problem solving opportunities.

This year the Montgomery team took 2nd place at the state tournament and now will be going to Worlds.

“The problem they did was the Structure Problem called ‘Stackable Structures'”, said Horn who has been working with Montgomery OM students for nearly two decades.

Coach Melissa Margargle said the team was to build at least three structures at least one inch high that when stacked on top of each other, would reach 8 inches high.

The structure was to be made out of 1/8″ x 1/8″ pieces of balsa wood and the total weight of the structure could not be more than 18 grams or the weight of 18 small paper clips.

The self-made structure was then placed on a flat surface with a solid piece of wood weighing 10 pounds on top of it. Then the students would continue to place bar bell weights on top until the structure broke. “Montgomery was the top weight holder with 175 pounds,” said Horn.

Along with the weight holding part of the competition, the team also scored on the style of their skit, costumes and backdrops.

There was also a third part they participated in where the team was taken into a room with up to five judges who gave each team a question to which they only had a brief period of time to answer.

These three parts were then added together to declare the winner. Montgomery finished in second place overall for the state competition in Berwick.

“I have been honored to work with this year’s young and inexperienced team. They are so creative and their accomplishment is well deserved,” said Melissa Margargle. Other coaches who helped were Randy Magargle and Christi Phillips. The Margargles have been coaching OM teams in Montgomery for the past 7 years.

Coach Margargle added, “We have had our share of ups and downs on this roller coaster but our dedication to getting these kids to Iowa is our number 1 priority. Please check out the link and see the story about our kids. We all appreciate all the help we can get to get these kids to Iowa.” www.gofundme.com/montgomeryomtoiowa