Birghtest students gather for "Odyssey of the Mind" finals in Ames

Hundreds of the country’s best and brightest students are in Ames today for the “Odyssey of the Mind” world finals. Alan Strohmaier oversees the Iowa teams that’re in the competition that rewards the students based on the way they solve five problems. He says they have to design a vehicle to transport information to a space station, they have to build a structure out of balsa wood that can hold weight, they have to research famous buildings, they have one problem involving magic, and they have to design a robotic person. The opening ceremonies are today (Wednesday), and the competition gets underway tomorrow.He says teams will start at noon on Thursday and things will run through Saturday’s closing ceremonies. Strohmaier says there are Iowa teams from Fairfield, New Hampton, Panorama (Panora/Linden) and Sacred Heart School in West Des Moines competing in the event. Strohmaier says the teams are competing for two things.He says they’re competing for trophies and self satisfaction. He says it’s a big event for Ames. He says it brings about 15-thousand people in for the event. The competition is open to the public and there is no charge to attend. You can find a schedule at www.odysseyofthemind.com.