Thousands of students from around the world have been competing to go to the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, an international problem-solving competition.
- Wiregrass Ranch high schoolers hoping to compete in Odyssey of the Mind
- Thousands of teams from the U.S. and 25 other countries competing
- WRHS team raising funds to travel to competition in Iowa
One Pasco county team has been working toward this goal for six years, but funding is now threatening the dream.
It isn't easy to get where the team representing Wiregrass Ranch High School is going. Thousands of teams from the U.S. and 25 other countries compete in Odyssey of the Mind — starting with regionals, to states and, if they make it, world finals.
Wiregrass Ranch High School's Odyssey team has been trying to get to the world finals for six years. Members have come and gone, but three have remained the same: Kayla Gutierrez, Donovan Snider and Kaden Robinson.
This year was the ticket by combining their teamwork and innovation by building a linear pump cart.
But, the world finals are in Ames, Iowa, and even with all their fundraising efforts, these students still don't have enough money to get there. The competition is May 25-28.
"Just being able to be exposed to not just different kids, but kids from different cultures from across the world, you can't get that anywhere else," Gutierrez said.
The team plans to begin the journey to Iowa on Tuesday.
There will be 800 teams competing from across the globe. This group will have about 40 teams in their division.
Three teams out Pasco County plan to compete. Each school has a GoFundMe:
Mittye P. Locke Elementary School: https://www.gofundme.com/duydc3ac
Dayspring Academy: https://www.gofundme.com/5gydef44
Wiregrass Ranch High School :https://www.gofundme.com/3cyn36p8
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