The Mount Morris Central School District is proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our Odyssey of the Mind team, who recently returned from the 2025 World Finals at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Competing in Problem 1, Division 2, also known as “the car problem,” MMCSD’s team placed 20th out of 50 teams from around the globe, finishing ahead of teams from California, Texas, and even Hong Kong.
Team members David Kelley, Scott Lonsberry, Trinity Tidd, Lilly Locke, Madelyn O'Dell, Sam Lonsberry, and Henry Tellier dedicated seven months to designing a solution that combined creativity, engineering, and performance. Their Viking-themed presentation followed a team of Vikings racing to Valhalla, believing they were headed to Viking heaven, only to discover they had been tricked by the mischievous Norse god Loki into a trip to Valhalla, New York instead. The clever storyline and innovative vehicle design impressed judges at every level of competition, earning the team first place at Regionals, second at the State Finals, and a strong showing on the world stage.
“Odyssey of the Mind is one space where kids are challenged to be creative and problem solve on their own with minimal adult intervention,” said Coach Amanda Lonsberry. “We were able to represent Mount Morris on a world stage with a fun and unique solution, and we learned a ton along the way. These kids worked so hard. I am so proud of the hundreds of hours my team poured into what I thought was a fantastic and creative solution to this year's problem.”
In addition to the competition, students participated in the beloved World Finals tradition of pin trading, connecting with students from across the country and around the world.
Congratulations to Coach Lonsberry and the entire team for representing Mount Morris with innovation, perseverance, and pride. We can’t wait to see what they create next year!
🔗 See more highlights here: https://bit.ly/4kbE4Pn