China was presented with 13 awards, including five gold medals, five silver and three bronze, in the United States over the weekend at the Odyssey of the Mind world finals. Shanghai students won 11 of the trophies. Odyssey of the Mind is an international creative problem-solving program that engages students in long-term and impromptu problems. It was held at the Michigan State University and attracted more than 6,000 students ranging from primary schools to universities from 16 countries and regions who competed in more than 900 teams. This year’s problems included how to assemble and ride rescue vehicles; to create and build a team-made mechanical creature that hides in plain sight; to design Leonardo da Vinci’s workshop; to design and build structures that can be successfully thrown and tested for strength; to create and present a humorous performance about a sneaky character that distracts others while trying to take control of anything the team wishes; and to use the ability to see the extraordinary in the ordinary to create and present original museums and exhibits.  A total of 58 Chinese teams participated in this year’s world finals, setting a record high in the 32-year participation. Shanghai-based Donghua University won "Problem 5: Opposites Distract," about the humorous performance. East China University of Political Science and Law, also in Shanghai, won the second place. Pang Bingliang, coach of the Donghua team, said the students had worked very hard besides regular study to prepare for the competition. “They had to make all the props at night and returned to the university earlier than other students after the Spring Festival holiday to prepare for the selection competition in China,” he said. Pang said that the participants had scrapped all the script and props to start over again after they were selected to represent China at the world finals. The Luodian Primary School in Shanghai’s Baoshan District won third place in the primary school section in the game of rescue. “Every competition is a chance for improvement for students,” said coach Wang Weilong. “Compared with the result, we care more about the process.” First and second places in this group were won by the Primary School Attached to Huangzhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, Hubei Province, and the Shanghai Experimental School. Other winning schools from Shanghai included Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Daning International Elementary School, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, the International Division of Shanghai High School and Songjiang No. 1 High School.