A graduate of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a former dental hygienist, Laura Leslie Hill dedicates herself to improving the lives of individuals in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and around the world. As the director of community and philanthropic activities for the Siloam Springs Women’s Center, Laura Leslie Hill has helped the clinic fund groups such as the local chapter of Odyssey of the Mind.
Founded in 1978, Odyssey of the Mind brings together young people to learn collaborative and creative problem-solving skills through innovative and entertaining challenges. Over the years, Odyssey of the Mind participants have been tasked to write new chapters for classic novels, engage with classical artworks, and turn mythical objects into video games.
In addition to challenging young people to develop creative problem-solving strategies, Odyssey of the Mind encourages them to use their talents to give back to their communities through the organization’s Odyssey Angels program. The program asks Odyssey of the Mind members to identify problems or people who need help in their local communities and then develop creative solutions. Teams can then submit their projects to Odyssey of the Mind, with one winning team invited to the organization’s World Finals event.
Examples of previous Odyssey Angels’ projects include a team creating a mechanical arm to help a classmate with disabilities write for the first time, while another team developed special wheelchair attachments to help a classmate fulfill a dream of joining the marching band. To learn more about Odyssey Angels, please visit www.odysseyangels.org.
