BUFORD –  A self-propelled train, an epic quest, a balsa wood structure and months of teamwork are carrying Buford students to the global stage.

Four teams from Buford City Schools have advanced to the 2026 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, set for May 27-30 at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. The international competition brings together student teams from around the world to present creative solutions to open-ended problems.

Buford’s teams earned their spots after a strong tournament season that began at the regional level. In March, 14 Buford teams representing grades one through eight competed at the regional tournament at Cherokee Bluff High School. Eight advanced to the Georgia State Finals in Columbus, where four qualified for World Finals.

Odyssey of the Mind challenges students to solve long-term problems that often combine engineering, storytelling, performance and design. Teams spend months developing their solutions before presenting them at competition. They also compete in spontaneous problem-solving, where they must respond quickly to an unknown challenge without outside help.

For Buford, this year’s success reflects both the growth of the program and the persistence of the students involved.

At Buford Senior Academy, coach Sam Marion said one World Finals team is made up of five third graders who had never competed in Odyssey of the Mind before this season.

“I think that makes their accomplishments even more impressive,” Marion said.

Marion said the team has practiced weekly to refine its long-term solution and strengthen teamwork during spontaneous problems. After each competition, coaches receive detailed score sheets that help teams identify what worked and what needs improvement.

“All of this feedback is used by the team to improve their performance or make adjustments to what is even being scored,” Marion said. “Also, since the team has worked so hard for the majority of the school year, we make sure to have some fun along the way too.”

The team is competing in “Off the Rails,” an engineering-based problem that requires students to create a self-propelled train engine vehicle. The vehicle must travel between points multiple times while adding train cars during each trip. Students also build a story around the train’s journey, including required characters such as a conductor and a villain.

Marion said the engineering portion has challenged the students at each stage of competition.

“This problem is an engineering problem, and in each of the competitions so far, there has been a different aspect of the engineering that has not worked as planned,” Marion said. “A major goal for World Finals is to have all of the engineering elements function at the same time.”

Those setbacks, Marion said, became some of the team’s most important learning moments.

“Sometimes this was in practice when a design didn’t work as they hoped,” Marion said. “In each competition, they experienced an element of the build failing in a manner that had never happened before, and the team kept going and finished the solution rather than getting stuck or quitting.”

That perseverance, she said, stood out to judges.

“This teamwork and perseverance are the reasons they made it all the way to World Finals, and these traits were noted by the judges in the handwritten notes,” Marion said.

At Buford Middle School, coach Abbey Goldin said students have been preparing since September for both long-term and spontaneous problems.

“We have been meeting weekly since September to prepare for both long-term and spontaneous problems,” Goldin said. “Team members have worked consistently to refine their solutions during meetings and after competitions. We have focused on teamwork and improving problem-solving skills.”

Buford Middle School will send two teams to World Finals after both placed second at the State Competition in March at Columbus State University. The teams will represent Georgia in Division II, the middle school division.

Goldin said both teams are focused on improving their state scores while continuing to grow as a team.

Team 3 will compete with “The Epic Quest,” a storytelling-based performance problem that required students to create an original epic poem about a team-designed quest to defeat a beast. In Buford’s performance, students use a game of Jenga to retrieve a gem needed to replace one in the queen’s crown.

“Their performance is filled with energy, creativity and humor,” Goldin said.

All members of Team 3 are qualifying for World Finals for the first time. Their goal is to finish in the top 25%.

Team 4 will compete with “Life’s a Ball: Party Time!” The problem combines engineering and performance. Students designed and built a balsa wood structure that has supported more than 500 pounds while withstanding impacts from different types of balls rolled into it.

Their performance takes place at “Sporty Sam’s,” where a dance party entertains the audience while engineers test the strength and stability of the structure.

Team 4 includes several students who previously attended World Finals while at Buford Senior Academy. The team placed 23rd overall in the same structure category in a previous year and hopes to build on that success by placing in the top 15.

Goldin said both middle school teams have shown collaboration, dedication and perseverance throughout the season.

“Both teams have demonstrated teamwork, collaboration and dedication throughout the season,” Goldin said. “They have also worked hard to strengthen their spontaneous problem-solving skills, both verbal and hands-on.”

For Buford students, World Finals will offer more than competition. The event gives students the chance to meet teams from across the country and around the world, exchange ideas and experience creative problem-solving on an international stage.

“In addition to performance goals, we strive to strengthen our OM values of having fun, meeting new friends from around the world, and continuing to develop creativity and problem-solving skills,” Goldin said.

As the competition approaches, Buford teams are continuing to refine their solutions and prepare for the world stage.

“It has been an exciting year of growth for our program,” Goldin said, “and we look forward to continuing to build and expand Odyssey of the Mind here at BMS.”