PORT BYRON - Ben and Jerry were young soldiers with the 5th Infantry eager to go off to war and defend their country, but only one of them made it back. Now Ben is left with haunting dreams that block out all of the happy memories he once shared with his childhood friend.

This was the story laid out for judges in Binghamton by the Port Byron Division III Odyssey of the Mind team.

With the help of a talking fly, giant scrapbook, a convertible sofa and a monster that spits out photographs, the team was able to win over judges and qualify for the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals coming up in May.

"There is no definitive solution to any Odyssey of the Mind problem," team member Brian Kolczynski said. "You have all kinds of people working on one solution, and you hope that what you come up with will appeal to the judges."

Odyssey of the Mind is an international education program that allows teams of students, from kindergarten through college, to work together to solve problems using creative venues. Problem types cover everything from the arts to how to build mechanical objects.

Volunteers from around the world judge the competitions, which take place on a regional, state and world level.

Teams are scored on their long-term problem solutions, how well they can solve a spontaneous problem, and style.

This year, the Port Byron team of high school students chose the problem titled "In Your Dreams."

They were asked to create a performance that included a dream that was part cheerful, part nonsensical, and part nightmarish. The nightmare had to include a monster, designed and built by the team, that changes in appearance and performs various tasks.

"Before they start planning their skits, they brainstorm and come up with as many ideas as they can," team coach Kimberlea Klaczko said. "Then, one by one, they ask themselves, 'Are any other teams coming up with the same ideas?' Then they go from there."

On a budget of $125, students are required to build their own sets and design props and costumes, all while trying to come up with a creative solution to the task at hand.

Several students on this team were also involved in the district's winter musical, leaving little time for the group to practice as a whole.

Despite some complications, the six-member team was able to create an eight-minute skit that followed Ben through his dreams as he relived the war, met a Scottish fly on a ceiling who introduced him to a monster that collects memories, and revisited his childhood, unlocking the memories he kept shut out.

Each segment of the dream was represented by a page in the giant scrap book that also served as various back drops.

"We wanted to make our skit a little more touching and a little more serious," team member Matt Vitale said.

"We also wanted to make the nightmare part as nightmarish as possible."

Teams from all over the state competed in the Binghamton competition held in March.

The Port Byron Division III team was one of two teams from the district that qualified for the world competition.

The Division III team is currently fund-raising to cover travel expenses, and they are looking into ways to ship their set out to the University of Colorado in Boulder, where the world competition will take place. Several students on the team are also interested in joining up with an international team in hope of expanding their Odyssey of the Mind experience.

"I am amazed," Klaczko said. "The school board president said it best when he said: 'Odyssey of the Mind has done for Port Byron what football has done for Weedsport.'"

Staff writer Ashley Lipsky can be reached at 253-5311 ext.235

or ashley.lipsky@lee.net