Iowa State Odyssey of the Mind

Get Creative in Iowa

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Participants apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition at State Finals, with the champions advancing on to World Finals.

Find Your Why

Why is Odyssey of the Mind Right for You?

Odyssey of the Mind enables young people to take what they have learned in a formal classroom setting and apply it in a real world environment. It teaches our youth to think for themselves, to be able to express their thoughts, to be able to listen to the thoughts of others and most importantly to work together with their peers to develop something meaningful as a member of a team. Instead of encouraging participants to think “outside the box” Odyssey of the Mind encourages youth to think “without the box”.

There are many good programs available for our youth that develop scientific and engineering concepts, that provide opportunities to test technical skills, that encourage students to use their math, social studies, reading and reasoning skills. There are programs that provide the opportunity for students to do research, to work with others and develop their interpersonal skills. And there are programs that encourage our young people to show sportsmanship, to show support for others and to do their very best.

But Odyssey of the Mind is unique because it encourages each member of an Odyssey of the Mind team in elementary school, in middle school, in high school and in college to develop all of these skills and to be able to use them across disciplinary lines and boundaries just like successful adults are expected to do