The Odyssey of the Mind team from Hamilton Avenue School competed at State Finals on March 29, 2025. After its second place finish, the team has been invited to attend the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals in Lansing, Michigan in late May. This is the fifth time that a team from Hamilton Avenue has attended the World Finals. These students have worked hard all year and are excited to be representing Connecticut as they compete against passionate and creative students from around the world.
The team was also this year’s recipient of the OMER award. The OMER, named for the Odyssey of the Mind mascot, is given to the team that exemplifies outstanding sportsmanship, exemplary behavior, or exceptional talent. The Hamilton Avenue team received the award in recognition of their teamwork and creativity in overcoming a set malfunction during their performance. Team members include: Luka Jai Puac, Dhanvi Madishetti, Victor Molleturo, Bodhi Puac, Jackson Rossitter, Devin Clermont, and Noah Blake. The team was coached by teacher, Mrs. Cathy Byrne.
The team would like to thank their principal, Mrs. Diane Chiappetta-Fox, and assistant principal, Mrs. Annamaria Simonelli, for their support of this program They would also like to thank teacher, Mrs. Darlene Angotto, and her daughter, Catie Angotto, a Hamilton Avenue alumni, for serving as a judges at the competition. The team members and coaches are especially grateful to the families for their support throughout the year.
Odyssey of the Mind, an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Odyssey of the Mind is a learning experience which has helped our students develop skills that will last a lifetime. Students learn to cooperate and respect the ideas of others, and to evaluate ideas and make decisions on their own. Our students have gained greater self-confidence and increased self-esteem through their hard work. In addition, they work within a budget, so they learn to manage their money. Students also see that there is often more than one way to solve a problem, and that sometimes the process is more important than the end result.
How You Can Help
In order to attend we need to raise funds to pay for food, housing, and transportation to Michigan. The cost for each student to attend is about $1,500. Our school community and their parents all very much want these seven hard working students to be able to attend World Finals and have the experience they have worked so hard to earn. We need your help to meet our goal. To support our team, please use the link below to make contributions to our GoFundMe.
Photo: Cathy Byrne