Destination Imagination 2015-16 – Information session 17th September,2015

The Destination Imagination program encourages teams of learners to have fun, take risks, focus and frame challenges while incorporating STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), the arts and service learning. Our participants learn patience, flexibility, persistence, ethics, respect for others and their ideas, and the collaborative problem solving process. Teams may showcase their solutions at a tournament.

Coppell DI had a very successful year with 24 teams in regional tournament, 5 advanced to states and Mockingbird Elementary  “brain Blasters”  to global finals. Check Coppell DI website for more details.

There are seven new Destination Imagination Challenges to choose from each year. The areas of focus include: Technical, Scientific, Fine Arts, Improvisational, Structural and Service Learning. There is also a non-competitive Early Learning Challenge that allows participants to build social and problem solving skills.

Destination Imagination Timeline:

September – Start a team

September to May – prepare team for instant challenge and central challenge which include following

-Weekly team meetings

-Workshops

-Challenge scrimmage

-Manager training

-Appraiser training

Competition Dates:

February 27, 2016: TVNC tournament (Regional teams compete)

April : Texas DI affiliate tournament (Winner of regional teams compete at state level)

May 2016: Global Finals – Winner of state tournament and international teams compete

Interested in learning more? Read on…

Who:

Up to 7 members can be on a team, and students from kindergarten through university level participate. Each team needs an adult Team Manager. Team Managers help students stay on track but do not directly help the team develop its solution to the DI Challenge. Team Managers are often faculty members or parents.

DI teaches the creative process by allowing teams to solve Challenges together as a team. A big part of our program is the Interference policy: in short, kids have to imagine, create and develop solutions on their own. Parents, Team Managers, family and friends can’t suggest ideas or force teams in certain directions. Outsiders can only facilitate the acquisition of skills and knowledge.

What:

There are seven new Challenges to choose from each year. Each of the Challenges is developed by a team of educators and industry experts who target a particular area of the curriculum and its related standards of content and performance. The areas of focus include: Technical, Scientific, Fine Arts, Improvisational, Structural and Service Learning. There is also a non-competitive Early Learning Challenge that allows participants to develop social and problem solving skills.

When:

Each season takes place from September through May. Depending on the Challenge, teams typically spend 2 to 4 months developing and practicing their Challenge solutions.

Where:

The team’s solutions are assessed at regional, state or country tournaments. While most schools run DI as an after school program, some school districts incorporate the program into their electives curriculum. Our tournaments provide the opportunity for participants to celebrate creativity with their peers and promote healthy competition. Every year, local volunteers help run 200 tournaments around the world.

Why:

Teams in our program learn higher order thinking and improve in creative thinking, critical thinking and collaborative problem solving. Our participants experience the creative process, develop new friendships and learn to work together

How:

Teams choose one of seven Challenges. Click here to preview the Challenges. After weeks spent creating and developing their solutions, they go to a local tournament. Top-scoring teams advance to their state or country tournament, also known as an Affiliate Tournament. The top tier teams from each Affiliate Tournament have the opportunity to participate in Global Finals—the world’s largest celebration of creativity.

Join us for a DI information session at Mockingbird Elementary Cafeteria on Thursday, 17th September from 6.15 to 7.30 P.M.

Questions about DI or interested in joining/forming a team?  Contact Tejas Purani, the Coppell DI Coordinator.