Food Bank

by Lynne Powers

Another Mensan interacts with the community!  The last report from the Community Chair, you may recall, highlighted community involvement at the Westside Food Bank by Mensan Jack Bell and his wife. Today, the report concerns Mensan Chris Eaton and Arizona Odyssey of the Mind. Chris serves as Assistant Director of the organization. You may recall an article she wrote for the April, 2000 Mensa Bulletin about it.
    This organization sponsors problem solving competitions for young people.  Sponsors of the competing teams are schools, community groups or a college or University. Each membership fee of $135, entitles the sponsor to receive five long-term problems, one noncompetitive primary problem, designed to introduce younger students to creative problem solving, a Program Guide, some practice problems, the newsletter, the opportunity to enter official competitions and possibly win educational scholarships, among other items.
    Competitions are divided into 4 age groups, ranging from under 12 to collegiate. Teams compete at the regional level, and/or state, country level. Advancing teams can attend the annual Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, usually held at a University in the US. The problems consist of  long-term questions, solved over weeks and months. Some are technical and some may be artistic or performance based. In judging, style is also considered to encourage enhancing of solutions. At the competitions, the teams are given an on-the-spot “spontaneous” problem to solve.
    Clearly, this type of program appeals to some very creative kids.  Just as clearly, it depends on many volunteers to coach, train and judge. Right now training for judges is scheduled for Saturday February 17, 2001. The Regional tournament will be Saturday, March 3, 2001. This is one opportunity that would seem right up Mensa’s alley. Can you commit a couple of days? If you are at all interested, please see their web page at http://www.azom.org/. Or call Chris Eaton at (480) 706-9679 Home or (623) 691-2350 Work.

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