MACHIPONGO, VA- Northampton County Public Schools (NCPS) is celebrating a landmark performance by its Odyssey of the Mind teams at the recent Virginia State Tournament. In a historic first for the division, NCPS sent three teams from Northampton Middle and High Schools to the state level, with all three teams earning podium recognition and one team officially punching their ticket to the World Finals.
Under the direction of Brad Ford, Division Coordinator for Odyssey of the Mind and coach for the high school teams, the program has reached new heights. “Seeing our students thrive on the state stage is a testament to their creativity,” said Ford. “From engineering structures that are highly resilient to performing original epic poetry, these students have proven that Northampton is a powerhouse of innovation.”
Leading the charge was the Northampton High School “Structure” team, securing a 2nd-place finish in the state. Anna Temich, Billy Pike, Garrett Fisher, Jeanette Pike, Adelaide Malonson, Steven Cardoza, and Kiera Budenos built a 15-gram, 8-inch tall balsa wood structure that held a staggering 457 pounds before crushing. By beating out last year’s 9th-ranked world team and finishing as the highest-scoring spontaneous team in their division, they now advance to represent Virginia and the Eastern Shore at the World Finals in May.
Northampton Middle School’s “Classics” team, coached by Keysan Brittingham, made history as the first middle school team from the division to advance to the state tournament in three years. Competing in “The Epic Quest,” Adrian Perez, Kayla Nago, Maedeline Collins, Elizabeth Irminger, Ruby Widgeon, and Lizbeth Gaspar Reyes earned 3rd place in the state and came remarkably close to becoming the first middle school team in division history to reach the World Finals, falling just five points short of 2nd place. Their skills were further highlighted by being named the highest-scoring spontaneous team in the state for their problem category.
Northampton High School’s “Classics” team also earned 3rd place, delivering a humorous, rhythmic performance in an epic poem format. Elsie Irminger, Candy Castaneda Cova, Mariam Mehdi, Ruben Pineda, Billy Pike, and Anna Temich had a quest that featured two heroes uniting to create a shield and sword to defeat a beast, all guided by an omniscient narrator.
“To see our students compete - and win - against world-class programs is a testament to their creativity, perseverance, and problem-solving skills,” said Dr. Lisa Martin, Superintendent of NCPS. “Holding over 450 pounds on a structure that weighs no more than a few paperclips is an incredible feat of engineering, but accomplishing it with such enthusiasm and school pride is what truly makes our students exceptional.”
Northampton County Public Schools congratulates all students and coaches on this historic season as the Northampton High School Structure team prepares to compete against the best in the world this Spring.