Haycock Elementary’s fifth grade Odyssey of the Mind (OOTM) team received the second highest score in the Spontaneous part of the competition at the OOTM World Finals. Team members also placed in the top third of teams in their problem and division; their space-themed long-term solution pitted the Earth against the sun and planets in her bid for a position as the center of the universe.

Team members include Maddie Gruber, Aarushi Kanigcherla, Alexa Krystopolski, Adelaide Thomas, Kathryn Thomas and Annika Ryerson; Caren Krystopolski and Susan Thomas coached the team. The team earned the opportunity to compete at the World Finals by winning first place in Division I (grades 3-5) at the Virginia State Tournament in April.