Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 7, 1994 TAG: 9406070085
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: |By JOEL TURNER| |STAFF WRITER|
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Not bad for a team of five students at the Cave Spring Junior High School in Roanoke County.
Cave Spring placed sixth in the junior high division at the world finals of the Odyssey of the Mind competition over the weekend at Iowa State University.
A team from Nebraska finished first in the mini-terrain vehicle category in which Cave Spring competed.
But the Hot Glues team from Cave Spring took consolation in finishing one place ahead of a team from Japan.
"They felt good about beating Japan, considering all of the publicity about Japan and its educational and technological achievements," said Martha Beazley, mother of a team member.
Odyssey of the Mind is a creative intellectual competition in several different categories.
Forty-four teams competed in the mini-terrain vehicle division at the world finals. In the competition, the vehicles must travel 20 feet and burst a balloon or climb over obstacles. The team receives points for popping balloons and completing other problems along the course.
The Hot Glues - their name comes from the hot-glue gun they used to build their mini-terrain vehicles - popped seven of the eight balloons on the course.
For the regional and state competition leading to the world finals, the Cave Spring students designed and built six vehicles. They used cigar boxes, pieces of wood, rubber bands, electric screwdrivers, batteries and other materials to make the vehicles, which are about a foot long and 6 inches wide.
The Hot Glues were so excited by their performance in the international competition that they began brainstorming for next year on the trip home, Beazley said.
by CNB