Mollie Carty

Educational Inspiration #3

Ranatra Fusca

  • June 17, 2017 at 3:13 PM
  • Visible to group members and anyone with the link
Odyssey of the Mind is a world-wide creative problem solving competition. One of the most meaningful awards given is the Ranatra Fusca for outstanding creativity and risk-taking. The award enveloped from a boy's idea for a vehicle that could move over the surface of water without breaking the surface tension, just like the bug the ranatra fusca.

It didn't work. After hours of hard work and dedication, the machine failed. But success isn't what made the boy stand out; it was his willingness to try something totally new, to leave the beaten path without the guidance of others.

Every year teams are awarded the Ranatra Fusca. It is sought after more than first place. It's a mark that you were daring enough to fail, brave enough to miss the mark, and bold enough to try something new. More often than not, the award winners' inventions didn't work.  But they took a leap a faith and tied anyway. That's what will lead to change. That's the outlook to build in our classrooms.