HI,

My name is Heather and I have been involved in Creative Problem Solving since 1996.

Click HERE if you would like to see a list of all the CPS challenges I have completed.

My first year to compete on a structure team was in 1998-1999 when I was in the fifth grade.  I joined my brothers all boy 7th grade team.  This was definitely a challenge but I learned a lot about structures watching and working with the builders on the team.

During the 1999-2000 season I  joined an all boy team from another school.  It WAS all boys again but at least they were my age.  We did not do structure because this team had always competed in the technical challenge so we solved the challenge Fruit Roller Coaster.  I was not really sure that I wanted to do the structure out of pasta anyway.

In 2000 I convinced the boys that we needed to do the structure challenge and we competed in the structure challenge Triplicity.

In 2001 I formed a team with members from my school and have competed in the structure challenge every year through the 2006 tournament.   While the composition of the team varied over the years we have a core group of four girls that have hung together since 2001. 

2006 was our last year together as a team.  We made it to Global Finals as Seniors and it was a great experience.  (I also joined a University Level DI eXtreme team and we did the MAX challenge.  I had a great time.) 

As a High School student I become more involved with our Region.  Our team took candid photographs for our regional award ceremony.  We also worked activity booths for younger competitors at the tournament.  A few of us assisted in leading structure clinics for new teams in our region and surrounding regions.

2007 was my first year in college at the University of Texas at Dallas.  Working on a University Team is very different from working on lower level teams.  We really didn't start working on our solution until April. 

I have really enjoyed my participation in creative problem solving.  I love the competition but I also love the camaraderie that develops among participants.  Over the years I have become friends with members of teams that my team competes against.   We cheer each other on and celebrate each other's successes. The past couple of years at Global Finals we have stayed in the same dorm as an awesome team from California.  They are fun to talk to because they are not afraid to discuss their solutions.  It is always interesting to hear what they have come up with.

I have made friends from all over the country.   I keep in touch through email, and we meet up at globals and trade pins. Its a little trick I learned to help get all of the pins faster. 

I have learned so many things that will be a benefit for me in the future.   If I had to pick the most important thing that I have learned through my participation in CPS it is that I can learn to do anything if I just set my mind to it.   I am continuing my participation at the University Level and hope to start working as an appraiser and eventually a challenge master for the region.

if you are wondering about the nickname Balsa Goddess - the name was given to me by another structure builder that I met from Wisconsin.  We were chatting on-line a few years ago and he said something along the lines of "You must be the Balsa Goddess."  I loved the nickname and have created a few trading pins with that nickname.  The picture on the left side of the page banner was my first "Balsa Goddess" pin. 

Check out my ride!  A 2002 Honda Shadow 600