2024/2025 East Central Scholarship
Odyssey Of The Mind impacts everyone that is involved. The experience, life lessons, and spirit gained as a participant in Odyssey Of The Mind carries well beyond the student involvement. Students become mentors, coaches, parents, future volunteers, and leaders beyond the Odyssey of The Mind family.
East Central Pennsylvania Regional Odyssey of the Mind (OotM) program sponsors scholarship opportunities for one student per year for $750.00. This opportunity is intended to celebrate participants of the program who have demonstrated exemplary problem-solving skills, creativity, good sportsmanship, perseverance, and teamwork. The scholarship program is intended to support these individuals as they continue their education and growth.
Scholarship Criteria
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Have been a team member for at least 2 of the last 4 years in the Odyssey of the Mind program (one of which must be in the East Central Pennsylvania Region). Participation can be on a team or otherwise engaged in supporting OotM.
- Must be continuing their education on a full-time basis at a university, college, community college, post-secondary technical or trade school, or a specialized post-secondary educational institution.
- Must be a high school senior or a student who will be continuing their education after high school within the next academic year.
- Must provide all submission requirements as listed in this scholarship application form.
Eligible applicants must submit one (1) original and one (1) copy of the following no later than Saturday, February 22, 2025. (postmarked).
- Completed application form (as attached). This includes documentation regarding participation as a member for at least 2 of the last 4 years in the Odyssey of the Mind program of which one must be in the East Central Pennsylvania Region. Participation must be in 2 of the following academic school years 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/2024, 2024/2025.
- One (1) letter of recommendation from an Odyssey of the Mind coach, high-school administrator, OotM mentor, or teacher. The letter shall describe problem-solving skills, creativity, good sportsmanship, perseverance, and/or teamwork that have been demonstrated directly by the applicant in their participation in the Odyssey of the Mind program. The letter of recommendation may not be from a person who is related to or a guardian of the applicant. Letters are limited to one-page, double space, and greater than 10 font.
- An essay that addresses the following questions. There is no limit to the length of the essay, but the applicant should consider 350 words or less in greater than 10 font as an appropriate response.
Required Questions
- Describe an instance that your Odyssey of the Mind experience developed two of the following: your problem-solving skills, creativity, good sportsmanship, perseverance, and/or teamwork.
- Describe how your Odyssey of the Mind experience has affected your life’s aspirations.
For originality and creativity, please answer the following questions
- If you could create an invention or solve an existing problem, what would it be and why?
- In a paragraph, answer the following question: If I could travel forward or backward in time, I’d visit _____________ and why.
- In one paragraph, what advice would a wisdom tooth give.
Submission Requirements
All submissions will be reviewed by the selection committee, which consists of members of the East Central Pennsylvania Regional Board of Directors. Selection committee members may not be related to any applicant, teachers of any applicant, or Odyssey of the Mind coaches of any applicants. The winner(s) will be contacted, and an announcement will be made on our Facebook page. All submissions will become the property of the East Central Pennsylvania Odyssey of the Mind program.
All questions and submissions should be sent to:
Rob Lowrie
10 Valley View Dr
Lebanon, PA 17042
prob4pc.ec@paodyssey.com
All scholarship funds will be disbursed directly to the chosen educational institution upon receipt of the 1st semester or 1st academic period schedule and bill. This may be submitted after the scholarship application but no later than September 26, 2025.
If a scholarship recipient is not enrolled at an educational institution for the fall 2025 academic semester, or cannot use the scholarship, the allocated funds will be moved to the succeeding year scholarship program.