The North Carolina Odyssey of the Mind Eastern Region administers the creative problem solving program, Odyssey of the Mind?, for students in grades Kindergarten through College in the Eastern Region (20 counties surrounding the greater Raleigh Area) of North Carolina. The program challenges students to apply their imaginations and ingenuity to creatively solve complex problems, work through challenges and build respect for one another in an environment where cooperation, caring and the process are more important than winning.

The Odyssey of the Mind? Objectives are:

• Providing opportunities for children to develop creative thinking skills.

  Odyssey of the Mind attempts to create a child-centered and nurturing environment in which students channel their creative energies and are encouraged to take risks without the intervention of adults or non-team members.

• Encouraging the development of cooperation, self-respect, and the appreciation and understanding of others.

  Just as participation on a sport team encourages cooperation, mutual respect, pride and enthusiasm, participation on an Odyssey of the Mind team similarly foster the same desirable qualities. But, the focus is not on winning.

   

• Helping children develop creative problem-solving skills to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world.

  Odyssey of the Mind is a "process" program. The emphasis is on acquiring new skills, taking on new challenges, having fun, developing team spirit and striving to create the most fun, the most creative and the most original product possible.

• Creating experiences that develop essential life skills.

  Odyssey of the Mind allows students to develop and use their creativity in a positive way. Creativity can be enhanced by training and the Odyssey of the Mind process is a vehicle that allows this to happen. The creative problem-solving approach should become a life skill, increasing the value of the students as members in the future workplace.