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Botetourt teams win Odyssey of the Mind competition

  

Two teams of Botetourt Elementary third graders brought home first-place awards from the regional Odyssey of the Mind (OotM) problem-solving competition held March 19 at Grafton High School.

Although veteran OotM sponsor Gaye Murphy, now a third grade teacher at Botetourt, had retired from coaching children for the OotM event, a former OotM participant convinced her to return to the competition.

Last fall, Gloucester High School senior Campbell Farina approached Murphy about sponsoring a team that Farina could help with for her GHS senior project. Farina had been coached by Murphy as a student in elementary school, and her team made it all the way to the OotM World Finals.

  

Murphy said her initial response was to suggest Farina start a problem solving club for the kids based on the type of activities that OotM entails but without the huge time commitment or the competition. However, Farina wanted the kids to have the whole OotM experience.   Murphy co...

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