ENDWELL, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Students at Homer Brink Elementary in Endwell are having dramatic success in their first foray into the Odyssey of the Mind global competition.

Six students, four in third grade and a second grader, and a fourth grader make up a new team that has qualified for the world championship next month at Michigan State University. The students answered a problem involving the most dramatic people by crafting a performance involving the common idioms of “fork in the road,” “raining cats and dogs” and “step on a crack, break your mother’s back.” 4th grader Roman Beck says the students brainstormed their ideas and wrote them down as they went along. “I like how this is an opportunity for you to get creative and wild and let all your thoughts just come out and make this one big beautiful play.”

The students took first place in regionals and first place again last weekend in Syracuse to qualify for worlds taking place May 24th through the 27th. While the Maine-Endwell School District is assisting the kids with their travel and lodging costs, there are fundraisers underway to help their families accompany them. On May 3rd at Best Bagels in Town and on May 22nd at Taylor’s Pizza, proceeds from all sales will go to support the team. You can hear from all of the students and listen to them sing a song they wrote for their solution below!