Northampton students achieve historic Odyssey of the Mind success at State Tournament

Northampton County Public Schools is celebrating a milestone achievement after three student teams earned top finishes at the Virginia Odyssey of the Mind State Tournament, marking a historic first for the division.

For the first time, Northampton Middle and High Schools sent three teams to the state competition, with all three placing on the podium. One team will now advance to the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals later this spring.

The standout performance came from Northampton High School’s “Structure” team, which placed second in the state and secured a spot at the World Finals. Team members Anna Temich, Billy Pike, Garrett Fisher, Jeanette Pike, Adelaide Malonson, Steven Cardoza, and Kiera Budenos designed and built a 15-gram balsa wood structure that supported 457 pounds before failing.

The team outperformed a group that ranked ninth in the world last year and also recorded the highest spontaneous score in their division.

At the middle school level, Northampton Middle School’s “Classics” team earned third place in the state, becoming the first middle school team from the division in three years to reach the state tournament. Students Adrian Perez, Kayla Nago, Maedeline Collins, Elizabeth Irminger, Ruby Widgeon, and Lizbeth Gaspar Reyes competed in the “Epic Quest” problem and also posted the top spontaneous score in their category statewide. The team finished just five points shy of a second-place finish and a potential berth at the World Finals.

Northampton High School’s “Classics” team also earned third place, presenting a creative performance in the form of an epic poem. Team members Elsie Irminger, Candy Castaneda Cova, Mariam Mehdi, Ruben Pineda, Billy Pike, and Anna Temich told the story of two heroes joining forces to defeat a beast with the help of a narrator.

The teams are coached by Brad Ford, who also serves as the division’s Odyssey of the Mind coordinator, along with middle school coach Keysan Brittingham.

Superintendent Dr. Lisa Martin praised the students’ accomplishments, noting both the technical skill and creativity demonstrated at the competition.