Odyssey Team to Compete at World Championship

On a Sunday afternoon, seven high school friends are hanging out in Carter Sharer's backyard on Wingsong Lane in Oakton preparing for an upcoming international competition.

And it's not the first time they've competed against teams from all over the world.

For the fourth consecutive year, seniors Hannah Nelson, Grace Newman, Jamie O'Brien, and junior Sharer will represent Oakton High School at the Odyssey of the Mind World Competition scheduled for May 27 through May 30 in College Park, Md. South Lakes High School senior Mary Davis and Thomas Jefferson seniors Shekhar Chalasani and Kevin Shahl round out the team. 

Oakton High School’s team, which has 63 years of combined Odyssey experience, has created and competed together in some configuration since elementary school. 

Hannah Nelson was the mastermind 7th-grade organizer who corralled the current members to join forces. They’ve met every Sunday since October, but they’ve been competing—and winning—for years.

“We trainwreck everyone,” said O’Brien, who, along with Newman, admits being “thrilled” by the challenge.

Thousands of teams from around the U.S. and two dozen other countries — from Canada to Uzbekistan — participate in the program, which challenges students to apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics.

This year the team is competing within two categories: Design a Rube Goldberg machine that takes a series of steps to complete a simple task, and design and build a structure, using only balsa wood and glue, made up of at least two sections connected to one another by a hinge. Structures will be tested with weights.

Their supplies are limited to $145, and they must receive no adult assistance.

“When they were younger, we might read them the problem or drive them to Home Depot,” said Michelle O’Brien, a longtime co-leading parent. “But the project is their own.”

How do they develop their ideas? “The more we argue, the better are our ideas,”  said a teammate.

Team members have fond memories of competitions past, and talk about their camaraderie and friendship. One member remembers the 13-year rivalry with the Franklin County, Va., team. Another member said, “China is our biggest world rival.”

They have funny stories about props gone wrong or machines malfunctioning: “You take a deep breath and you keep on going,” Newman said. 

Their friends outside of Odyssey have become accustomed to quirky things it leads the team members to do.

“I have really dorky friends who don’t think twice about my dressing up like a starfish,” Newman said.

For many students, Odyssey is a family affair.  The O’Briens and Jim Sharer are parent co-leaders. And though Grace Newman's father is involved in the Odyssey world as a volunteer judge, his duties have kept him from being able to see his daughter compete.

The O’Briens commitment to Odyssey runs so deep, they’ve agreed to serve as Virginia tournament directors next year even though their youngest is finishing high school.

Carter Sharer, the lone Oakton junior team member, isn't sure yet about his Odyssey plans for next year. Four of the seven seniors — Nelson, O'Brien, Shahl and Davis — will attend the University of Virginia, and O'Brien already has his eyes set on the Odyssey of the Mind college competition.  His teammates laugh and admit they'll probably be right there with him.

Meantime, all eyes are on the World championship competition this weekend.