Custom Patches for Odyssey of the Mind and Destination Imagination

In today’s world, creativity and problem-solving skills are more important than ever before. While artificial intelligence is capable of many things, it will never be a substitute for the full range of human ingenuity.

With that in mind, it’s critical that we train young scholars today to think creatively to solve problems and react to changing circumstances. STEM programs and the arts are vital to our future.

Destination Imagination and Odyssey of the Mind are two organizations that help students develop those skills. Both organizations challenge students to form teams and creatively solve designated problems. In doing so, they help students develop critical thinking, technical and presentation skills, a sense of teamwork and social skills.

The students present their results at state and international competitions in the spring. One popular way to commemorate their achievements is with custom patches.

OM and DI Basics

OM began in 1978 in New Jersey. Educators founded the organization to challenge students in competitive problem solving.

Odyssey of the Mind and Destination Imagination share the same roots. A legal split in 1999 over OM’s for-profit status led to the creation of DI as a nonprofit spinoff. Both function similarly as well.

Students form teams and receive a long-term problem in the fall. They’re tasked with solving multiple challenges associated with it and presenting their results in competition each spring. The problems

Teams spend months brainstorming, testing ideas, solving unexpected problems, and learning how to work together to create solutions. In the spring, they get the chance to demonstrate their solutions at regional, state and global competitions.

The global events, known as World Finals in OM and Global Finals in DI, give participants an opportunity to meet other teams from around the world. Thousands of students compete in various categories.

The Value of OM and DI

Both programs offer a wealth of learning experiences to students. They teach participants how to:

• Manage time
• Resolve conflicts
• Think critically
• Communicate clearly
• Embrace failure as part of innovation and learn from it

Why Recognition Matters in DI & OM

DI and OM don’t just reward traditional “first place” thinking. Judges score each team on creativity, risk-taking, teamwork, and originality. Teams can earn special honors for exceptional creativity. That focus on innovation makes recognition even more meaningful.

Using Custom Patches for Recognition

Patches are an outstanding way to recognize and celebrate DI and OM participation and success. They help reinforce team identity, encourage new members to join and commemorate milestones.

Keep in mind, teams spend the greater part of a school year working together to create solutions to complex challenges. By the time the tournaments arrive in the spring, each team has a real identity, full of inside jokes, shared memories, and a sense of pride.

Patches offer a permanent reminder of those times, and the work and camaraderie that were a part of them. They’re a keepsake team members will cherish in years to come.

Custom patches also are great for trading at the competitive events. While not as hugely popular as trading pins, patches are gaining recognition for trading as well.

Designing a Great OM or DI Patch

It’s not hard to design a great custom patch, but it does require a little bit of forethought. A memorable patch design will attract attention, trades and new friends. So what separates the great patches from ordinary ones?

Start with your team's identity. Your patch should include your team name, team number, region or state, and the season year. That’s the basic minimum. If you really want your patches to pack a visual punch, include the challenge theme and/or your team’s solution right on the patch.

Embrace your solutions! If your team built a device that looks like a giant robot banana, put it on the patch. Include visual details about your skit. The more your patch reflects your team, the more interesting it will be, and the more conversations it will start.

Feel free to add humor too. Team catchphrases, fun mascots and even inside jokes give the patches a personal feel unique to the team. And other teams are sure to remember the patches that make them laugh.

Creative Shapes for the Win

Don’t forget, your patches don’t have to be a standard rectangular, square or round shape. You can get them in virtually any shape you can imagine. If you have a strong visual theme, go for it. Go ahead and design a patch shaped like that robot banana.

Patch Themes

It’s easy to create patch themes that can continue from year to year. Keep a consistent patch shape and update the design with the year and challenge themes. That gives returning students a chance to build a collection of patches that tells the story of their entire OM or DI experience.

Milestone Patches

Patches for team achievements in competitions are also a great way to motivate team members and celebrate accomplishments. For example, you could have separate patch designs for Regionals, State or Province Finals and one for Global/World Finals. Team members will be proud to add each new patch to their collection.

Special Award Recognition Patches

If your team wins a special award such as DI’s DaVinci Award or OM’s Ranatra Fusca award, have custom patches made to celebrate it! Make it stand out from standard patches by adding metallic thread or a distinctive border.

Celebrate the Journey

Both Odyssey of the Mind and Destination Imagination encourage students to live creatively, take innovative risks and solve problems both individually and with others. That’s worth honoring and celebrating with great custom patch designs.

When you’re ready to create patches for your DI or OM team, you can count on us. At Patches4Less.com, we’ve been crafting outstanding patches for organizations and events of all kinds for 20 years. We can help you make the most eye-catching, fun patches you can imagine.

If you’d like to find out more, call us toll free at (866) 847-2824, or email us. Already have a design in mind? Great! Fill out our no-obligation free quote form and we’ll send you a free digital proof of your design. Your OM and DI teams deserve the best custom patches they can get. That’s what you’ll get when you order from us!