Fairfield Robot Raiders And Others Head To Michigan For Odyssey Of The Mind Finals

FAIRFIELD, CT — Teams of Fairfield elementary and middle school students are headed to Michigan next month to compete in the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, an international problem-solving competition for children.

Students from Fairfield's three middle schools make up two teams, and students from Stratfield, Dwight, Burr, Mill Hill and a Home Schooled student make up two elementary school teams. A third elementary school team from Holland Hill is not going to the event, which is scheduled to be held on May 21-24 at Michigan State University.

To help pay for the trips, at least three GoFundMe campaigns have been established: Robot Raiders; Pizza Girls; and Fairfield Parent Teacher Association Council Team A.

Robot Raiders has six elementary students, Victoria Kim, Nico Fogel, Aria Sharma, Avani Maduram, Seorin Rhyu, and Charles Voisine, and is coached by Julie Seo. The students built a robotic giraffe as the centerpiece of a team skit.

"Their teamwork was just incredible," Seo said in a statement to Patch. "Each child brought their own unique ideas and talents to the table. They are a truly creative and inspiring group."

Board of Education Vice Chair Jennifer Maxon-Kennelly has been a proponent of the Odyssey of the Mind program for 15 years, and told Patch that watching the students collaborate with creative problem-solving is a joy.

"It's just a great program," Maxon-Kennelly said. "It does so much that we want our schools to do, and which they do, but this is just on a whole other level."

— Members of the Fairfield Robot Raiders. Photo credit: Fairfield Public Schools