The White Falcon - 23.03.2005, Page 4

A.T. Mahan's 'Odyssey of the Mind' Teams head to World Finals
By Lynn Gibbons
The banner in the lobby of A.T. Mahan
Elementary School that says, “Good Luck A.T.
Mahan Odyssey of the Mind,” must have worked.
All three Odyssey of the Mind (OM) teams from
the school took home first place medals from the
DoDDs Europe OM competition that was held in
Garmisch, Germany the last week in February.
There were 19 schools and 38 teams competing
for a spot to go to the World Finals in Boulder,
Colorado in May.
OM is an international problem-solving com-
petition for students from kindergarten through
college. It was brought to A.T. Mahan by Dinah
Tague who was presented a plaque in Garmisch
for her continued support of OM for more than
15 years.
Each team picked a long-term problem and were
judged on the effectiveness and creativity of the
solution.
The twist to OM is that parents and coaches can-
not give the team any ideas or tell them the best
way to do something. If that happens they will lose
points for outside assistance.
In addition the teams compete in a spontaneous
problem event where they have less than 10 min-
utes to come up with a solution to a problem.
The Stunt Mobile team designed, built and ran
two original Stunt Mobile vehicles that traversed
five obstacle courses, crossed the finish line and
broke a balloon. Each Stunt Mobiles had to oper-
ate on a different power system. Team members
included Max Malone, Amanda Malone, Andrew
Vaughn, Matt Sokolowski, Allison Griffin, Jake
Grandjean and was coached by Cmdr Victor
Malone of NCTS Iceland.
“My team came up with some very innovative
solutions that astounded the judges,” said Malone.
The Crazy Column team had a very challenging
task.
“The children really discovered how valuable
team work can be to produce a final product that
would meet all the requirements,” said their coach
Margaret Gladders.
This team had to create a balsa wood struc-
ture that weighed no more than 15 grams and
had to rest on three different height bases at
the same time. Team members included Gus
Vieweg, Hannah Traficante, Bethany Barclay, Jake
Tannahill, Lynsey Fisher, and Jacob Myers.
In contrast to the technical problems, the Laugh-
a-Thon team had to create and present an original
play complete with costumes and scenery that was
humorous. The play had
to contain a mime and
a puppet among other
things.
What’s funny to a sixth
grader may not be funny
to an adult judge.
Members of this
team included Amber
Perkins, Haley Thomas,
Sabrina Cavazos, Brent
Gibbons, HelenGibbons,
Robbie Gladders,
Sydney Hamilton, and
was coached by Lynn
Gibbons.
The school originally
had six teams but only
three teams could go to
Garmisch.
The three teams that
didn’t go held a com-
petition at the school
and the winner has been
given a wild card slot at
World Finals.
Consuelo Salazar’s team of Brittany Getch,
Kaitlyn Lagman, Danielle Haines, Racine Fraser,
and Mia Williams earned A.T. Mahan’s wild card
slot. Their problem was to tell a story using three
different forms of communication in three differ-
ent time periods and was called Get the Message.
The work is not over. Now, the teams need to
polish up their acts to compete at World Finals in
Colorado.
At the same time they need to raise the $22,500
to fund the trip. The PTO will be sponsoring fund-
raisers that the OM teams will put on. Look for
bake sales, movie nights, hoagie sales, a bowl-a-
thon and more.
After a brief training from SW1 Jose Ramirez, Capt. Mark Laughton
(right) shows off his welding skills during the Seabee “Greens Week,”
a designated week of competition among NASKEF Seabees and culmi-
nating with the Seabee Ball, (photo by EACS(SCW) Edwin Gonzales)
From Women pg. 1 -
of good teachers in my life, but she
was the one who started me off right
in school. The person who started me
off right at home was my stepmother.
She was the one who taught me all
sorts of things, from telling me right
from wrong to teaching me how to
do my own hair. She is the one who
takes care of me when I’m sick. She
is the one who provided me with
clothes and food. My teacher, by the
name of Ms Palmer, has helped me
through this year by teaching and
coaching me through school work.
Now the people I would like to talk
about that changed America are Juliet
Low, Rachel Carson, and Harriet
Tubman. Juliet Low started the Girl
Scouts. Today it is still an important
function that girls do today. You
don’t just go around selling cookies;
you learn to respect all things, to be
courteous, and to have fun. Rachel
Carson is who I want to be when I
grow up. She is a marine biologist.
She wrote a book called, “Silent
Spring.”
Women Shaping America
By Sasha Foltynewicz,
Eighth Grade Student at A.T.
Mahan High School
Women have played an important
role in America’s history and still do
today. During America’s early years,
women wanted to play a more active
role in politics. Women such as Judith
Sargent Murray, a great woman phi-
losopher, and Abigail Adams formed
the Republican Motherhood, an orga-
nization in which mothers educated
children so they would have a good
start in life.
There were also great women in
America’s early history in the sci-
entific field. In the late 1800’s and
early 1900’s Marie Curie, a great
female scientist, discovered radioac-
tivity, along with her partner Henri
Becquerel. This was a wonderful
discovery that would be greatly used.
Marie Curie showed doctors how to
use radium to treat certain cancers,
arthritis, scar tissue, and other dis-
eases.
Another great female scientist was
Rosalind Franklin. She did much of
the study and research that helped
us to have a better understanding of
DNA’s structure. Since Rosalind was
a woman she had to work her hard-
est to get into school and become a
scientist. She succeeded and became
a great scientific contributor.
Hypatia was the first woman that
influenced the science of math. She
was alive around 400 A. D. In the late
1800’s Florence Nightingale changed
the way statistics were displayed and
organized. Around the mid 1900’s
Grace Murray Hopper had a major
influence on the very first comput-
ers.
Throughout history many women
have been part of the evolution of
America. In the categories of sci-
ence, philosophy, politics, and more;
women have been there. Women will
always be a part of the greatness of
America.
YN2 Andrea Baker (right) and her 14-year-old daughter Kendra
attended this year’s Women’s History Month Celebration together.
This March marks the commemorative month’s 25th anniversary.
(Photo by GSCS(SW) Peter Pavel)
Page 4
The White Falcon
March 23, 2005