OM Muncy team 'Not So Haunted House' went to state finals Sat. April 12. Front row left to right: Breanna King and Angelina La Rose. Back row left to right: Dylan Trimble, Kalina Spring, Emma Green, Emma Hogan and Alana McCullen.

MUNCY – For more than 25 years Odyssey of the Mind has generated lots of excitement and creativity among students, teachers, parents and coaches.

Imaginations are encouraged to solve open-ended problems and learn new skills that will last a lifetime according to the Muncy coaches who helped two teams from Ward Myers Elementary School compete in the state finals in Berwick on April 12 after winning their regional finals for first and second place in their division on March 15.

“We spent hours here at Myers working on team building and problem solving,” said Coach Stephanie Trimble.

Each problem proposed to them had an 8 minute time limit said coach Mariana Sees.

Last October participating students started working on their problems for the ‘Not-So-Haunted House’ and ‘Seeing Is Believing’ according to Coaches Stephanie Trimble and Amy Green. “We have been meeting after school and weekends since then,” she stated.

Team 'Seeing is Believing' competed at state finals for Odyssey of the Mind in Berwick last weekend. Front row left to right: Bryanna Phillips and Rachel Snyder Back row left to right: Emily McMichael, Emily Snyder, Madison Sees, Rory Oden and Kayla Phillips.

Team one had to create an original “pop-up” style house with four special effects, and team two created an original performance about a community that felt threatened by something.

“The Seeing Is Believing Team did a wonderful job for their first visit to state competition,” said coach Sees. “They are in the top 10 of their problem in their division. Although they are not moving on to world finals, the parents and coaches are extremely proud of how they performed.” Kristen Phillips and Lori Snyder also helped with this team.

The two teams worked together to create props, build sets, add special effects and write lines, poems and songs. They wore their team shirts with the Raccoon Mascot and the Muncy colors.

“We are all different, but together we are the same,” added Trimble.