F.S. district students excel at problem-solving tourney

Franklin Square District sixth-grade students were recently honored for excelling in the regional Odyssey of the Mind tournament, held on March 10.

Courtesy Kim LaRegina

Students in the Franklin Square Union Free School District participated in the Long Island Regional Tournament for Odyssey of the Mind, a problem-solving program, on March 10 at the Rosemary Kennedy Center in Wantagh. Part of the district’s Talented and Gifted Program, this year’s event marked another success for the district.

Franklin Square’s sixth-grade TAG students placed second and third in the problem-solving category of the competition. The Odyssey of the Mind competition, which has existed in New York for more than 30 years, included a variety of problem-solving tests this year, one of which required teams to design, build and drive a vehicle that traveled a course where it encountered three different situations, focusing on technical risk-taking and creativity.

Another problem required teams to design and build a structure made of only balsa wood and glue that balanced and supported as much weight as possible.

According to Kim LaRegina, who leads the district’s TAG program, students in the district consistently do exceptionally well at the competition, placing each year. For their hard work and success in the competition, the Franklin Square district’s sixth-grade TAG students were honored during the district’s March Board of Education meeting. Those students include Andrew Asadoorian, Cory Brinken, Brian Bucalo, Jesse Capozzi, Alyssa Cassese, Kenneth Ciulla, Mikies Copoulos, Hunter D'Amore, Sarah Dill, Zofia Gornicz, Nicolas Limpert, Connor Lynch, Thomas Orlandino, Frank Porcasi, Stephanie Salazar, Matthew Stevens, Andrew Talamo, Joseph Theodorou, Joseph Vera and Tyler Zatarain. 

For more on Odyssey of the Mind, contact LaRegina at klaregina@franklinsquare.k12.ny.us or visit www.odysseyofthemind.com.