Girl Scouts are five-time Odyssey of the Mind state champions

For the fifth year in a row and their final year as a team, Girl Scout Troop 1482 secured the right to go to the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. The Girl Scout team, whose nickname is Team Loophole, competed March 25 at Delaware's OM State Tournament in Problem 3 against five other teams in the high school division. The girls placed first, and for the second time earned the 350 Club Award.

This award celebrates the rare occurrence of a team receiving top scores in every facet of the Odyssey of the Mind competition, resulting in a perfect score of 350. Team coach Rebecca Lowe also received an Outstanding OMER Award for exceptional leadership in promoting personal development and teamwork through the Odyssey program.

Team Loophole is among the 34 teams from Delaware going to the OM World Finals at Michigan State University in May. Team Loophole is the only Girl Scout team in Delaware. At last year's world finals, the team was the only Girl Scout OM team out of the over 800 teams worldwide. While there, Team Loophole competed against 45 other teams in their division and placed fifth.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program for students from kindergarten through college that reinforces science, technology, engineering, art and math learning through creative problem-solving, teamwork, healthy competition and, most importantly, fun. Team members apply their creativity and intelligence to solve problems ranging from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state and world levels.

Team Loophole is sponsored by Girl Scout Troop 1482. Members include Phoebe Callard, Erin Gallagher, Heidi Knutsen, Hannah Lowe and Mia Moshier. All are in 12th grade - four at Cape Henlopen High School and one at Sussex Academy. Coach Rebecca Lowe is the troop leader. "Odyssey of the Mind is a perfect fit for Girl Scouts," said Lowe. "The mission of the Girl Scouts is building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. As a result, these girls know about working together, supporting each other and thinking through different ways to solve a problem. OM builds upon these skills and gives these young women an opportunity to showcase their abilities."

Over 800 teams from across the United States and around the world will compete in the World Finals at Michigan State University Wednesday-Saturday, May 24-27.