Long Beach students showcased their creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills at the recent New York State Odyssey of the Mind Finals held at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. Seven teams represented the district with pride, earning outstanding results that included three New York State championships, a third-place finish, as well as seventh-, ninth-, and thirteenth-place honors.
This year, Long Beach teams entered the competition determined to defend last year’s World title, competing against top teams from 20 regions across New York State. Since September, students have dedicated countless hours to refining their solutions, demonstrating perseverance and ingenuity that made their coaches exceptionally proud.
The elementary program, led by coaches Andie Techera and Douglas MacConnell, impressed judges throughout the competition. In addition to their creative presentations, students were repeatedly recognized for their professionalism and the respect they showed fellow competitors.
At the middle school level, coaches Eric Fox and Douglas MacConnell guided three teams that once again proved Long Beach’s reputation as a powerhouse in Odyssey of the Mind. Their efforts resulted in two teams earning coveted bids to the World Finals, which will take place at Iowa State University in May.
Odyssey of the Mind (OM) is an international program that challenges students from kindergarten through college to think creatively and solve open-ended problems. Through months of preparation, teams of three to seven students collaborate to develop innovative solutions and present them in an eight-minute performance that integrates STEM and STEAM concepts.
The remarkable achievements of all seven teams reflect the dedication of the students, the commitment of their coaches, and the strong support of the Long Beach school community.
See the results of each team below and view more photos (here):
Long Beach Elementary
Problem 1 (elementary) — In the problem titled “Off the Rails,” the team created their own train track and a moving train that had the task of picking up three pieces of artwork. In this hilarious solution, the villain — portrayed by Leo Kushner — attempted to steal works of art using a giant robot played by Dylan Watts. Skyler Gress, the train conductor, had the judges laughing out loud with the help of her assistant, Leo Martus. Ronan Ferrara was instrumental in creating the train with a 3D printer and also took on the role of a tail-wearing reporter. The train was operated by PB, played by Merrick McLaughlin, and Jay, played by Gavin Eckert. The two cargo loaders were tasked with attaching three train carts throughout the performance and ensuring the train moved successfully around the course. This was the first time Long Beach has ever competed in Problem 1, and the team did a spectacular job! They earned a fourth-place designation in the long-term portion and a second-place distinction in style points. The team was supported throughout the season by Ms. Riley Slattery, who helped buoy the team with her creativity. The team finished ninth overall and is excited to continue next year.
Problem 2 (elementary) — The team truly thought outside the box. In this problem, enti-tled “Lost in Omerland,” the team — Saddie Bergstien, Maebry Kotula, Summer Schaffer, Waverly Schaffer, Dana Donofrio, Elle Cohen, and William Cohen — faced the daunting task of fitting an entire solution into a 62-inch suitcase. The team took an inventor and his GPS-headgear-wearing assistant on a quest with his friend Nimrod the Adventurer to save the polar ice caps from melting. On this amazing journey, they needed the help of Pirate Peg (named after her peg leg), a Card Shark at the Atlantis Casino accompanied by her security guard, and finally they dove to Atlantis to meet the mermaid who brought them to their destination. This team took home first place and were crowned state champions to the applause of the crowd!
Problem 3 (elementary) — The team tackled the “Epic Quest” in Division 1. The solution featured a drummer, played by Max Sendik, and a self-taught guitarist, Alexia Fink, going on a quest with a knight named Mr. Fullofhimself, played by Rafe Kaminsky. The trio was tasked with finding the king’s daughter, the King was played by Jaxson Devitto, whose daughter was taken by a beast. The beast’s costume featured a six-foot-long tail as Maisy McHesney prowled the stage. As the quest continued, the trio had to get past a troll who presented them with an epic challenge. The whole point of the quest was to save the sing-ing princess, played by Anna Chapman. Chapman owned the stage as she wowed the judges with her singing of a poem while Max and Alexia provided the accompaniment. Ms. Sariyah Tobin was a key component in keeping the team fresh and ready and not allowing them to skip a beat. Jackson Dali presented a terrifying epic challenge to the heroes as he played the troll that would not let them continue their quest. Overall, these children com-pleted their quest and were crowned state champions!
Problem 5 (elementary) — This team wowed the audience with their team-created Tall Tale of John Jivery. The team researched the Cano Cristales of Colombia and developed a tale that featured Furioso, played by Dylan Pinto, as a flaming centaur god; Ter Roar, mag-nificently played by Olivia Vourdoukis; and Kennedy Wynn, who brought smiles to all as Feliz. The title character, John Jivery, was played by Samuel Valencia and acted flawlessly alongside team leader Emmie Valencia. Garner Senken, who took on the role of Ruby, daz-zled in her all-red gown while portraying anger. Assistant coaches Jadeliegh and Dakota Keane felt the team did an amazing job bringing this incredible story to life. The team de-veloped El Tornado, which made judges question just how it could happen. Combining weather effects with emotion, the team brought the very proud audience to tears as they placed thirteenth in the entire state of New York. The entire solution was narrated by our wonderful mother figure Edith Bardechino who brought the script to life through her en-gagihh by story telling
Long Beach Middle School
Problem 2 (middle school) — This team competed against stiff competition. After dealing with obstacles throughout the season, the girls came together to celebrate one crazy bach-elorette party in the soul world. Led by bride-to-be Maddie Eckert, Zoey Pinto and Isla Lo-mitolla took the wrong turn onto Spirited Air and wound up in the land of the dead. While exploring their new location with the help of their travel-dog assistant Remo, the girls met a ghoulish Skeletina, played by Caroline McCarthy and encountered counterparts to their living selves in the form of their soul sisters. The “Day of the Dead Girls,” as they are affec-tionately known, were played spectacularly by Rowan McLaughlin, Arwyn Donofrio, and Mavis Fox. The team worked out of a suitcase to solve this problem and actually created a working scroll that took the audience on a journey from the land of the living to the land of the souls in a wild ride of friendship and sisterhood.
Problem 3 (middle school) — The “Epic Quest” middle school team astounded the judges. The main character, played by Farhaal Kahn,Mousa, was plagued with self-doubt in the form of a massive beast played by Kyvelli Pelfani. The beast was created by the dark thoughts of Mousa, the last of a nation of magicians. The team developed characters based on the internal workings of Mousa: Blood, the hero, played by Nila Pennant; her sidekick Lymph, played by Layla Colucci; Brain, portrayed by first-timer Jasa DiCesare; Skin, played by Freyja Rowland; and Moodmaster, brought to life by Rauri Kennedy. Together, this team of internal workings vanquished the dark beast and turned it back to the light. The team is excited that their third-place designation has qualified them to compete in World Finals!
Problem 5 (middle school) — The final performing team for Long Beach competed in Problem 5, “The Tall Tales of John Jivery.” The group took on a time-traveling tale that fea-tured Mia Kupchik as JJ, a girl who went from a mundane household with two difficult parents played by Finnegan Moser and Salem. When meeting Nordlys, her star and guide, JJ was whisked to the 1980s where she encountered Disco Dennis, a character who stole the show with his portrayal of a dude stuck in the 70s but living in the 80s. The contrast of Hoops and Frost came to life with the fantastic performances of Vivienne DePalma and Robert Tozer. The team collaborated to do a great job explaining how color came to our world. The coaches could not be prouder of the team and are sad to see the amazing OM careers of Salem and Mia Kupchik come to an end. They appreciate all the time, dedication, and memories these students have shared with the program over the past five years.
Date Added: 3/31/2026