OFF TO BALTIMORE Children compete in mental Olympics And TWENTY-EIGHT CHILDREN FROM Hollyburn Elementary School have won the chance to take part in the World Finals of Odyssey of the Mind, a sort of cerebral Olympics. By DAWN BURKE The 28 children from Hollyburn, a French immer- sion elementary schoo! in West Vancouver, ended up winning three out of four competitions for their divi- sion in the B.C. Odyssey of the Mind finals. Co-ordinator Bonnie Sheldon, mother of one of the children involved, says the whole project has been one surprise after ano*ner. She was surprised the children were so creative and inventive. She was surprised by the response from other Parents and children. the whole team was surpris- ed by winning the B.C. finals. Odyssey of the Mind, a competition to encourage creative and original think- ing, was started in the Unit- ed States by two educators who believed mental com- petitions could be as challenging and exciting as physical contests. This year the B.C. finals of Odyssey of the Mind was held Apri] 12 at Centennial secoudary school in Coquitlam. The contest, formerly called Olympics of the Mind, is open to children from kindergarten through high school. The children are divided into divisions accor- ding to grade group. Kindergarten through Grade 5 competes as Division I, Grades 6-8 as Division II and Grades 9-12 as Division IH. The contest is divided into two parts; long-term NEWS photo Terry Pete.s OLYMPICS of the Mind ¢eam from Hollyburn school shows off costumes and medals. ors on tracks | INGTA-7)2 ! HRSA TRAN Now “1 fyut dood teach Fee a aa $4395. ange + ral poecton 81395 lout tot tack 2 oO. - rectors Fcano By Only $49 45 ADMat DO eCIOT 169% . INSTA-TRAX you lrach ight) ing at truly atioraable oscers Besides #S ayy and Qucck fowetatl on Ihe Wack Seige thee Oo HCEORS CAN foe eyed at well? Can tes uted with POV BEKS or HOE AD NORTH VANCOUVER SHOWROOM 1090 CHURCHILL CRESCENT PHONE: 980-9501 OTHER FULL LINE LIGHTING SHOWROOMS AT: 3971 No. 6 Road Richmond. Ph: 273-1011 31748 S. Fraser Way Abbotsford. Ph: 859-7657 45732 Yale Road West Chilliwack. Ph: 525-5515 400 West Sth Avenue Vancouver. Ph: 872-8383 10367 - 135th Street Surrey. Ph: 588-1231 LER LORE ELC CT RIC SUPPLY COLLIMATED Save 20% and ‘lug’ your rugs or drapes directly to our cleaning plant at Oak Street and 7th Ave. Monday to Friday 8:30-4:30 Carpet, Drapery and Upholstery Cleaning Plant 945 West 7th Ave., Vancouver Tel 684-8444 35 - Wednesday, May 22, 198, Staring is still rude PAGE 36 and spontaneous problems. The long-term problems take as long as four months to ready for the competition. Eight parents volunteered their time as coaches in the three to four months leading up to the B.C. competition. The parents were allowed to give the children skills but not ideas. Hollyburn school entered four teams in the competi- tion. Each team consisted of seven students and each team was mixed up accor- ding to sex, age and ability. Each team had a different problem to solve and the problems have no set solu- tion. The students were given free creative rein to solve problems. The first team had to design and make a robot that was capable of doing such tasks as picking up trash, selecting the right answer on a quiz and han- ding in a term paper in a problem called Hi Tech: Smarty Pants. The Hoillyburn team built their robot with a Barbie car and a Lego motor operating the robot's arm. The second problem, Music, Maestro, Please was to develop and “perform a presentation bas- ed on a classical music selec- Labour— 10 yds. at $20 per— TOTAL Extra Charge for skirts, back cushions, new foam rubber, special styles and repairs Visit Fashion Home Interiors where you will receive prompt personal attention and benefit frora the experience of our qualified staff. ROTA MOEN CR OCT EELAO HT ReUpholster Now! 2 5 % vi regular price Most Custom Fabrics 5 yards or more Re-Upholstery Examples: Standard Chesterfield Established 1968 FREE ESTIMATES tion. The third problem, Com- pound Fracture saw the stu- dents using balsa wood and glue to build two support structures inciuding a load bearing structure to support as much weight as possible. The structure itself was to weigh no more than 35 grams. ‘‘The Big Top’’ was the final problem. Team members performed as ring Master and animals. No more than $36 was allowed to be spent in otal on mate- rials for all four problems. Following the long-term problem part of the com- petition, the children were judged on their thinking ability in a brainstorming session. Creativity and orig- inality again garnered the big points. Three of the teams garnered first prize while the Big Top team came in se- cond. But because the first place team in that category cannot go on to the World Finals, the Hollyburn team has won that right. Three other West Van- ccuver schools also did well in the competition. Westcot Elementary entered four teams and placed second in the Compound Fracture See Olympics, page 37 295.00 200.00 495.00 Mon. Het 9-00-5.. a0 + 10:00-5:01 3050 Mountale Highway North Vancouver 988- \o28, 988-1220 a