OM or DI
Peg Dietrich
receiving:
1) Odyssey of the Mind merged with Destination Imagination, and will now be
Destination Imagination.
and
2) Odyssey of the Mind still exists as a separate program.
There are web pages for each, giving us conflicting information. And
considering the fact the the program is hanging on by a thread in our school
district anyway, we want to make sure the participate in the right program.
Anyone want to try and explain to me what is going on????? Do we go with OM
or DI??? Help!!!!!! It's mid-November and our team hasn't even met for the
first time. The school hasn't bought any membership packets, and the first
DI training is this weekend.
Even worse, I'm so afraid that if the district decides that it's all too
confusing this year and doesn't participate, the program will be totally
dead for us. And it's such a great program, assuming they/we can figure out
what is going on!!!!!
Enough yelling,
Peg
Tracy Weeks
I totally understand where you are coming from! I am in CT and we are in
the same boat here. The kids are so eager to begin, but without the
membership packet and solid facts/communication, it is all up in the air. I
know this doesn't help you any, but at least you will know that you aren't
alone.
Tracy
Peg Dietrich <pegs...@modempool.com> wrote in message
news:38357...@news.modempool.com...
James K. Gruetzner
programs. First, a thumbnail history:
As of the beginning of last summer, the national organization which
ran the OM program, "OM Association, Inc." (OMAI, a non-profit) was in
litigation over control of the organization. The one "side" basically
was in favor of a membership-controlled organization; the other "side"
basically was in favor of control by a company (Creative Competitions,
Inc., or "CCI") owned by the Micklus family. (C.Samuel Micklus was
one of the co-founders of OM in the late 1970s.) There were a number
of issues involved.
The litigation had been going on for over two years. A number of
the Association Directors (roughly 80%) decided that if the litigation
wasn't settled, then a new program would be formed. In June it looked
this wouldn't be needed, because OMAI was proceeding with the regular
OM program.
That changed in July, when Carole Micklus (wife of C.Samuel
Micklus) and CCI obtained a court injunction prohibiting OMAI from
having a program this year. At that time, the group of Association
Directors and others began to work on an alternative in earnest. A
number of states--especially the large-membership ones--set deadlines
of the first of September for things to be resolved, or they were
pulling out.
The first of September came without resolution, and the new program
was announced: Destination ImagiNation (DI). A number of state
organizations affiliated with it, problems (called "Challenges") were
released, and things started to roll.
Then, on the 24th of September, a "Settlement" between OMAI and CCI
was signed. The following were its main provisions:
(a) CCI relinquished all control over OMAI.
(b) CCI was granted exclusive use of the name "Odyssey of the Mind"
(c) *Neither* organization could use the name "OM"
(d) Each organization was free to run its own program.
CCI immediately started its program, using the name "Odyssey of the
Mind" and closely following the format of the previous program. DI's
program, on the other hand, had a number of new twists, designed in
part to "level the playing field." Among the differences in flavor
which DI had was an emphasis on team success and learning: the
challenges were designed so that each team should be able to have a
successful year (the only penalties are for "Interference" (like
Outside Assistance) and for Unsportsmanlike Conduct), yet there was a
*lot* of room to come up with fantastic, in-depth, solutions.
OMAI looked at the changed landscape (at that time 20 or so state
organizations had decided to go with DI), and began the process of
merging with DI.
With a few fits and starts, that's where things are now.
----
As might be expected, a large number of people have become very
emotional about these things. A number of states in effect "split",
with some people going with one organization, some with another. That
is the position Tracy in Connecticut is in: a split state.
(Before going further, I should note that my own state, New Mexico,
has gone with DI. I was one of the last people here persuaded, but
that is another matter. I will gladly give testimony to the DI
program if anyone wishes.)
There has been animosity, unfortunately, I suspect on both sides.
I know that people whom I thought were friends on internet lists have
been quite unfriendly as of late. But that's another matter, too.
---------
A map showing the layout of the various states (which organizations
went where) can be found at http://www.hanksville.org/cps/census.html
-------
I do not have any information about the Connecticut CCI (OotM)
program. The CT DI program's homepage is
http://members.aol.com/Schneiba/
The Destination ImagiNation homepage is www.dini.org.
Due to all the litigation, a large number of memberships are just
now getting started. At one of the schools I coordinate for (I am a
parent volunteer), one of the teams is having its first full meeting
this coming Monday.
I wish you well in whatever you do.
James
James K. Gruetzner <jkg...@unm.edu> | In faith and in science,
Creative Problem Solving Coordinator| All truth is God's truth.
Sombra del Monte Elementary School |
Madison Middle School |TM: Fruit Roller Coaster (E)
Albuquerque, New Mexico | nonLeaning Tower of Pasta (I)