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Odyssey of the Mind Spirit Photographs may be enlarged. Westwood's Odyssey of the Mind team certainly left an impression at the OM competition March 1st. Not only was this first-grade team the youngest group there, but they also came away with a first-place award for their creative performance. While their play is entitled Rude Awakening, "it's not about being rude at all," according to Skylar Postma, one of the team's members. Her teammates, Kathryn Whitlock, Ian Wright, Skylar Pavlas, Hannah Powers, Zoe Stillwell, and she had a lot of fun planning and practicing for the competition, then seeing it all come together for the judges on Saturday. The little actors came away with more than just a blue-ribbon performance; they were also presented with the Omer award. The Omer, named after the OM racoon mascot, is given to teams who go above and beyond to show enthusiasm, good sportsmanship, teamwork, and cooperation. Here's what the judges had to say: "This team exemplified the spirit of odyssey. Their focus, teamwork, and enthusiasm were refreshing, not to mention precious. They used the time given to them wisely and had well-thought out, creative answers. The primary team from Westwood Elementary was amazing, especially for their young age. They truly thought out of the box. Congratulations!" Westwood congratulates our OM ambassadors, their sponsors Megan and Kaver, their parents, and their teachers, all of whom share a vital role in bringing home this wonderful honor.

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