GMC News

Good Luck Earth Trek!

GMC Prep Students Leave for Odyssey of the Mind World Finals

Georgia Military College Prep School Odyssey of the Mind Earth Trek team will leave Monday afternoon (May 25) for the World Finals at Iowa State University on May 27-30. The Earth Trek team’s members are, Katie Bershadsky (7th grade), Elliot Fairbrass (8th grade), Liam Fairbrass (6th grade), Sarah Poole (8th grade), Colby Smith (8th grade), and Tori Spivey (8th grade). They will compete with teams from across the nation and around the world, including teams from Canada, China, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Poland, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.

Through the generosity of local businesses, individuals, parents, GMC faculty and staff, and GMC students who donated their leftover lunch money, the team raised over $10,000 to cover registration fees, travel expenses and lodging.

Earth Trek team member Elliot Fairbrass said, “I have participated in Odyssey of the Mind (OotM) for three years now. For me, OotM is a great way to express myself. The program enables you to build self-confidence around others whether you are on stage performing or talking to another team. Just being at an OotM tournament is very exciting; not only if you win but just meeting new people makes the whole experience worthwhile and memorable. Having the opportunity to go to Regional, State Finals, and now World Finals means a great deal to me, our team, and the prep school.”

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Teams of students apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics.

According to the website, www.georgiaodyssey.org, students work in teams so they learn cooperation and respect for the ideas of others. They evaluate ideas and make decisions on their own, gaining greater self-confidence and increased self-esteem along the way. They work within a budget, so they learn to manage their money. They see that there’s often more than one way to solve a problem, and that sometimes the process is more important than the end result.

Georgia Military College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate Degrees.
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