Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon OM Team Takes Top Honors In Regional

The Gurdon High School Odyssey of the Mind (OM) team took top honors in their division in regional competition Saturday, March 11.

Members of the team are Martin Downey, Brandi Escalante, Jessica Guthrie, Whitney Hogue, Cassie Lynn, Crystal Simpson and Andrew Wilson.

OM is a worldwide creative problem-solving competition in which teams are awarded scores in three different areas: long term problem solution, style of the long term solution and how well they solve the spontaneous problem given on the day of competition.

The GHS team scored first in long term, first in spontaneous and was one point away from first in style. Second place went to Bryant; Ashdown took third. All three teams will progress to state competition in April.

The long-term problem was to create and present an original performance about a King Arthur legend. The team members were responsible for writing and performing their material and creating all sets, costumes and props.

The Gurdon team also received the Deric Coleman Award "for dedication, courage and true spirit of the OM program."

In presenting the award, Nell Rockett, co-director of the regional contest, stated, "Just as with most OM teams a bond quickly formed and a true OM spirit emerges. Even though it takes an entire team pooling their creativity and expertise, each team member is valued for his or her unique ability and talent.

"Our recipients today," she said, "formed such a bond of fellowship and creative ability and certainly recognized and appreciated each member's contribution.

"Last year they were looking forward to the 2000 competition," she continued. "It would be their last year together. Unfortunately tragedy struck this team. A valued friend and teammate was killed in an automobile accident. The team was devastated and thought they simply could not participate in OM without their beloved team member. His death left a void and a feeling of being incomplete.

"However, after giving it much thought, they decided that they must compete for Patrick (referring to Patrick Stone, a GHS student killed in an automobile accident in last year). The Gurdon High School team has enjoyed Patrick's great personality and creative sense of humor. They miss him and dedicate their problem solution to him.

"Dedication, courage and true spirit of the OM program shines in the Gurdon High School Classics, Division III team," Rockett concluded.

A third award for Gurdon went to Andrew Wilson. Wilson received a Ranatra Fusca Award for creativity at an outstanding level in the spontaneous problem.

Coaches for the team are Kay Downey in the long term and Linda Gayle Hogue in spontaneous.