NorCal Odyssey of the Mind

Welcome to NorCal Odyssey of the Mind !

“What is Odyssey of the Mind?” It is a place where knowledge, creativity, imagination and ingenuity come crashing together to allow one-of-a-kind solutions that only can be created by students at a given moment in time.  Odyssey is a combination of theater and problem solving which needs the use of both sides of the brain to solve and present.  Students of all ages, kinder through college, write original scripts, creation costumes, props, scenery, and technical elements.  Teams of students work together to produce incredible solutions to creative problems while thinking “Beyond the Box!” Students with talents in many areas find a unique opportunity to showcase their gifts in engineering, script writing, physics, costume creation, math, music, dance, visual arts, construction, problem solving, leadership, critical thinking, and more!

Odyssey of the Mind has long history in California, with over 750 teams competing at the regional, state, and international levels.  The program has grown so much in the state of California that in 2018 two separate associations were organized to allow more students to participate and to keep travel distance for teams closer to home.

California North (NorCal) has six regions and physically half the state.  The regions in NorCal are North State Shasta, Redwoods, Capital Gold, Delta, San Francisco Bay, and Silicon Valley. Be sure and check out the REGION tab on this site for more details in your area.

Look around our website – we have information about Odyssey in general, galleries with photos and videos from our teams, information about forming a team in your area, opportunities for volunteers, and a link to make a donation if you would like to support our program.  If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to a regional director or myself, we are happy to help.

As a longtime coach, I have watched many students blossom in confidence, creativity, and comedic intellect which is often carried with the student forward into whatever the future holds.  The unique opportunities create leadership skills, teamwork, and lifelong friendships.

We look forward to you joining us.

Be safe and well,

Diedre Girod, NorCal Odyssey of the Mind Volunteer State Director