Destination Imagination teams shine at tournament

More than 100 third through eighth grade students on 19 teams from Northwest Montana competed in the Destination Imagination Regional tournament at Elrod School recently.

All five teams from Bigfork Elementary and Middle Schools placed in the top two in their divisions, qualifying them to participate in the state Destination Imagination tournament in Manhattan, Mont., April 2.

The Destination Imagination program helps kids build important lifelong skills including problem solving, teamwork, and divergent thinking. Teams solve two types of Challenges during the program year. Team Challenges take up to several weeks to several months to develop. Teams solve one of five unique Challenges with no adult assistance. Each of the five Challenges offers students an opportunity to explore engineering, architecture, drama and improvisation. Teams also practice improvisational instant challenges, which stimulate the team's ability to think quickly and creatively with only minutes to prepare solutions.

Both the IMPROVing Along Elementary and Middle school teams researched 12 modes of transportation, practiced improvisational techniques, and explored possible uses of a list of items that could be used to create their presentation. The teams had only half an hour to build a vehicle and create a skit that included an improvisational travel game and an invisible prop. The teams earned points for improvisational acting, research, design of their vehicle, theater arts, and teamwork.

The fifth grade Sudden Serendipity team was required to develop an original story that included an invention that came about as a result of serendipity. The team also built a technical device that performed a task through a series of steps. Points were awarded for theater arts, technical design and construction, and teamwork.

The Middle School Live! It's Radio team created a story in a live radio broadcast complete with a commercial, a breading news bulletin, and live sound elements. The team earned points for theater arts, sound effects technology, characterization, and teamwork.

The Middle School Dizzy Derby team built a vehicle with a technical energy source that completed laps and detours around a triangular track. Points were awarded for technical design and construction of a vehicle, number of laps and detours completed, and teamwork.

Team members and coaches included:

Elementary IMPROVing Along team: Tom Olson, Olivia Witt, Kristie Persinger, Bailey Aiken, Madison Fraley, Seth Roessman, and Matt Killian. Coach: Sharon Lamar.

Elementary Sudden Serendipity team: Josie Rundle, Dillon Fraley, Ian Lorang, Haile Ward, Halisia Hubbard, Keiran Cunningham, Taylor Peck. Coach: Cy Kennedy.

Middle School IMPROVing Along team: Caitlann O'Dell, Lena Olson, Kaitlyn Shults, Connor Bensen, and Becca Denning. Coach: Trish Shults.

Middle School Live! It's Radio team: Casey Brown, Hannah Barrett, Mikala Evans, Quinci Paine, Bailey Vogt, Mallery Knoll, and Elizabeth Quist. Coach: Amber Britt.

Middle School Dizzy Derby team: Spencer Jenko, Ryan Conaway, Evan Jordt, Ron Grenier-Hemphill, Travis Knoll, Nathaniel Roberson, and Derek Minemyer. Coach: Melaina Crabtree.

Finally, a Bigfork team sponsored by the Bethany Lutheran Youth Group placed 3rd in the Dizzy Derby Challenge. Team members include: Brandon Sundh, Tyler Sundh, Matt McGady, and Mo Jellison. Coach: Kathy Sundh.

Local judges included Doug Fraley, Yvonne Peck, Jessica Ash, Michelle Denning, Cindy O'Dell, Laura White, Billy Knoll, Jan Roberson, and Gail Jenko.