2016-17 Destination ImagiNation®
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Destination ImagiNation®? Destination ImagiNation®, also known as DI, is an international non-profit organization based in Glassboro, New Jersey, that teaches life skills and expands imaginations through youth-centered, team-based creative problem-solving. Participants are from 47 U.S. affiliates and numerous international affiliates. Who is eligible to join? All Eanes Elementary students may participate. Teams usually have 5 to 7 members and students are grouped by age. Competitive teams at the elementary level are usually grades 3-5, while non-competitive teams (known as Rising Stars) have students from kindergarten through grade 2. (Teams cannot participate unless they have a manager.) What does a team do? Students work together during the year to solve their choice of one of 5 competitive challenges. The team then presents a rehearsed or improvisational solution in a 6 to 8 minute performance and solves an Instant Challenge (on the spot problem) at the regional tournament held in Central Texas. If a team advances, it competes at state finals and winning teams at state have the opportunity to travel to Global Finals held in Tennessee in May. A team can start working on a Team Challenge as soon as members are recruited. It is recommended that the team manager take one of the training sessions offered in our area. What is the goal of the challenges? Each Challenge is designed to engage students to learn 21st century and higher-order thinking skills by teaching them the creative process from imagination to innovation. The program teaches students how to think, not what to think. Students that solve the Challenges have fun and learn the skills of creativity, critical thinking, self-confidence, self-determination, presentation and collaboration. We want to enable students to identify, build on, and celebrate their unique strengths. How often do teams meet? Once a team is formed, the members decide how competitive they want to be and how often they want to meet. Generally, teams meet once a week, but as they approach the tournament, they may meet two or more times a week. This is entirely dependent on a team’s work style, other activities that compete for students’ time, on the goals the team sets, and the availability of the team manager. Some teams meet frequently for short periods, others get together less often but for longer periods, and other teams use a combination of these approaches. Who manages the teams? Any adult 18 or older may manage a team. Generally, a parent or two parents share the management of a team, but a teacher or other interested adult may also manage a team. The solutions that students come up with are their own, not a team manager’s or anyone else’s outside the team. As a result, team managers need no special talents or skills simply an interest in young people, a sense of humor, and a willingness to help students stay focused. Teams cannot participate unless they have a manager. Who evaluates teams at competition? DI is a volunteer, team-based organization at every level. Appraiser teams are assembled from trained volunteers to score student teams at regional and state tournaments in Texas. Every team must provide two “volunteer judges” who attend a free one-day of training in February and attend the regional tournament. What costs are involved? The costs are as follows: registration fees, tournament fees, working materials fees, EISD fees, and training materials fees. EISD has a fee of $100 per student for those participating in the competitive challenges or a fee of $40 per student for those participating in the Rising Star (K-2) program. Regional tournament registration is around $50 per team. National team registration cost depends on how many teams register within the district. In the past, they have used bulk registrations to reduce the cost. In addition to the registration fees, team members are responsible for the materials they use to prepare the solution to their challenge. Team Members may also be asked to bring snacks to meetings, gather working materials, and help transport students and props to the tournament. Team Manager training, if desired, requires a small materials reimbursement fee (usually $15-20). In addition, if a team elects to attend an Instant Challenger workshop, there is usually a fee around $40 per team fee to offset workshop expenses. If a team wins at regionals, there is a state registration fee. If a team wins at state, there is a national competition with associated fees and travel costs. How do I join? Find a Team Manager or Co-managers. Recruit a team of no more than 7 team members. If you don’t have a team, you can still register and we will try to place you on a team. Registration to participate at Eanes Elementary is found on Erin Krieger’s web page under the Destination Imagination tab. It is not necessary to select a Team Challenge before recruiting a team. Ideally, this selection is made during a team meeting. Around November, a team is required to provide their final challenge selection. Where can I find more information? http://www.destinationimagination.org/ http://www.texasdi.org/ (click on regions/regions list and select Capital Region) http://www.idodi.org/ EISD COORDINATOR: Carol Reese [email protected] |
How do I find a team?
Find a Team Manager or Co-managers. Recruit a team of no more than 7 team members. If you don’t have a team, you can still register and we will try to place you on a team. Registration will close on September 21 at 3pm. DI AnnouncementsEanes Elementary is currently creating teams to compete in the 2016-17 Destination Imagination season. In order for teams to form, there must be adult leaders willing to manage teams. Please consider managing because we have had to turn away many students who would like to participate but couldn't because we did not have enough managers.
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