Attention Gr. 1-5: There will be a Parent Information Meeting for those interested in learning about the BMES Odyssey of the Mind program Tuesday evening, September 19 from 7PM-8PM in the APR. Odyssey of the Mind demonstrates that creativity can be taught, stimulated and improved with practice. Students use their artistic, theatrical and engineering skills to create new solutions to intriguing problems; they learn to “think outside the box” and develop valuable skills that will be essential for success in the 21st Century.
Bells Mill has a robust Odyssey of the Mind (OotM) program: last year we sent seven teams to the Maryland State Finals and four of these were invited to the World Finals Michigan. Teams of students from grades 1-5 meet weekly from fall to mid-spring under the supervision of trained parent coaches. Cost is minimal, but parent assistance is required given that OotM is an entirely volunteer program. We need coaches to lead teams and volunteers to help support the teams, with ample guidance from the OotM program. Most meetings will be held on Friday afternoons at BMES. The BMES OotM program will be coordinated this year by Geeta Daniel and Gunay Dogan, both Bells Mill parents. We are lucky to have Dominic and Trudi Benford, who led OotM for six years and successfully coached a team three years in a row to world finals, supporting us every step of the way as we continue to lead the amazing program they built.