KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Two Destination ImagiNation (DI) teams from Sacred Hearts School in Sun Prairie qualified at the recent state tournament for the Global Finals in Knoxville, Tenn.
The two teams were made up of middle school students, who joined students from 48 states and 30 countries for the Global Finals, which ran May 24 to 27 at the University of Tennessee (UT) in Knoxville. In all, over 8,000 students competed in seven different challenge categories.
Program in ninth year
Sacred Hearts School is in its ninth year of providing this after-school co-curricular to fourth through eighth graders.
The program combines many elements of a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) curriculum.Students build their problem solving, creativity, and teamwork skills to meet specific challenges.
How teams placed
Of the two teams that participated at the international competition, the improvisational challenge team placed in the top 20 of over 70 middle school teams, and the engineering team placed sixth of over 70 teams.
The engineering team also won the coveted “Spirit of DI” award for presenting their structural challenge with an accompanying story in which characters traveled the world to find new ways for a deaf woman to experience music. The story was told in English and American Sign Language, and was accompanied by a light show and dance. The students were able to accept their award onstage among a crowd of over 13,000 people at the UT arena.
“We are so proud of all of our Destination Imagination teams,” said Kim Frederick, principal of Sacred Hearts School. “This is the ninth year that we’ve sent at least two Improv Challenge teams to the finals. The students do extensive research in their challenges and practice for months to prepare for these competitions.”
She said that as much asIteams prepare, there are unknown elements given at the competition that force the teams to think on their feet, work together, and devise creative approaches to problem solving. Students are judged on their teamwork, creativity, humor, and ability to work in all elements of their skit.