Virginian-Pilot


DATE: Monday, April 14, 1997                TAG: 9704140050

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   71 lines



INNOVATION SENDS STUDENTS ON AN ODYSSEY TO STATE FINALS CHESAPEAKE BAY ACADEMY TEAM TAKES A NOVEL APPROACH TO PROBLEM-SOLVING.

Once you've seen him dressed neatly in crisp slacks, an Oxford and brightly colored tie, it's hard to imagine Joshua Piland in a sleeveless blue floral frock and purple high heels.

But he's worn them with outstanding results.

Josh and his four teammates from Chesapeake Bay Academy recently won the regional title in their division of the Odyssey of the Mind Tournament - a competition based on creativity, teamwork and problem-solving. They head to the state competition later this month where they will perform an eight-minute skit involving a farmer's wife, four students dressed up in asbestos removal suits as mice, and three small cars the team designed and constructed.

What makes the victory in their first attempt extra-special is that Chesapeake Bay Academy exclusively serves children with attention disorders and learning disabilities. MaryAnne Dukas, the head of the school, said it is the only school of its kind in the area, drawing 75 students from kindergarten through ninth grade from throughout South Hampton Roads and up the peninsula to Williamsburg.

Dukas said the payoff is immeasurable.

``For my children to be able to go into any arena and to be able to compete with their peers and to know they are as bright and as strong as any child around them - that's what we do here,'' Dukas said.

Along with 12-year-old Josh, who is from Norfolk, the team is made up of Kim Wolford, 13, of Chesapeake; Lisa Hingson, 13, of Suffolk; Kawan Simmons, 13, of Newport News; and Corey Cooke, 12, of Virginia Beach. Their coach is math and science teacher Art Simon.

When the winners were announced, ``My mom said we jumped that high off the ground,'' Kim said, holding her hands about two feet apart.

Kawan's response, ``There is a god.''

Odyssey of the Mind is an international competition that challenges students to draw on a wide body of knowledge from building mechanical devices to interpreting literary classics in order to solve problems. Teams may spend months designing and practicing their novel approach to the particular problem they have chosen. Not only is technical excellence recognized, but innovation as well.

The Chesapeake Bay Academy team was among those taking on ``Balloonacy Car,'' which required them to design, build and run three small vehicles across the floor to break moving and stationary balloons. In their skit, the cars and four of the team members were mice, being chased about by the overwrought farmer's wife. After breaking the balloons, the cars rolled into boxes, decorated as cats, and weighted down with kitty litter.

The students can spend only $100 on equipment and props they use in the competition, so that meant they had to scavenge for materials and visit thrift shops. The Chesapeake Bay team learned to solder metal and turned to science books to figure out how to build the three cars. Corey broke open a toy train to claim the gear box for one of the cars, and they learned they'd have to wire batteries together to get enough voltage to run another.

Perhaps the most unusual challenge, however, was finding the dress. The team moved through a second-hand store, looking for the perfect ensemble.

``All of us were trying to find out which dress would look good on Josh,'' Lisa said. ``We were holding up dresses on him.''

Of Josh's role, his coach said, ``He was a child who was brave enough to wear a dress.''

The kids said they have enjoyed working together and learning to do so many different things. But the real reward is in the boost to their self-esteem.

``They feel like winners right now,'' Dukas said. ``For some of them, this is the first time they've won anything.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by GARY C. KNAPP

Kim Wolford, left, Corey Cooke, Coach Art Simon, Kawan Simmons, Lisa

Hingson and Joshua Piland make up the Odyssey of the Mind Tournament

team from Chesapeake Bay Academy.The school exclusively serves

children with attention disorders and learning disabilities.



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