Megan and Kate were each on a team in the NY State Odyssey Of The Mind Competition (link). Megan's team worked on the problem "Superstition," Kate's team worked on the problem "The Lost Labor Of Heracles."
Problem 5: Superstition
The problem is to create and present a performance that includes two documented superstitions, an original superstition created by the team, and the events that caused the original superstition to come to be. The performance will also include a funny narrator, a costume that is worn by two or more team members at the same time, and a stage set. During the performance the same stage set items will be used to change from one setting to another.
The Performance:
Problem 3: The Lost Labor of Heracles
Teams will create and present an original performance about the ancient Greek hero Heracles. In Greek Mythology, King Eurytheus ordered Heracles to perform 12 labors. The team will reenact Heracles performing one of the 12 labors, as well as a Lost Labor--a team-created thirteenth labor forgotten in history. The performance will also include a god or goddess from Greek Mythology, an original mythological creature that plays a role in the Lost Labor, and the team's version of why the Lost Labor was forgotten in history.
Getting Ready: 
Talking with the judges after
Kate as the "Snorowog", the (made up) mythical creature Heracles had to defeat to complete the 13th labor. (Snorowog - head of a snake, body of a horse, horns of a yak, feet of a dog, and tail "kind of like" a pine tree)
All the teams from the district did very well - Kate's team was one of three from the school district that took first place in their division, we will now be competing against the first place teams from across NY at the state competition in Binghamton in April. The winners in Binghamton will move on the World Competition held in Iowa in late May.
