Four Valley teams to compete in global contest

Staff report

Youngstown

Four local Region 1 Destination Imagination teams have qualified to attend Destination Imagination Global Finals May 22-25 in Knoxville, Tenn.

Global Finals is the culminating event of every Destination Imagination season. Each year, more than 1,000 teams gather at Global Finals to showcase their challenge solutions.

The Region 1 Teams who qualified are My Mama’s Vanilla (which isn’t affiliated with any school), team manager Edwin Winters, competing in “Challenge B: Wind Visible” at the Secondary Level; Niles McKinley High School, team manager Bev Begalla, competing in “Challenge D: Change in RealiTee” at the Secondary Level; Howland Middle School, team manager Steve Ochman competing in “Challenge E: Twist-O-Rama” at the middle level; and Summit Academy Youngstown, team manager Sherrin Bielik competing in “Project Outreach: Real To Real” at the secondary level.

Youngstown Summit Academy Secondary School must raise $7,000 to participate at the Global Finals. The money will cover transportation, lodging, meals and entrance fees, and it is hoping the community will help.

My Mama’s Vanilla also is raising funds for their trip,

Eighteen Region 1 teams are among 1,000 students on 175 teams who traveled to Mount Vernon Nazarene University to showcase their problem-solving skills to the assembled appraisers, parents, family and friends to earn one of Ohio’s 56 slots to attend Global Finals.

Two Region 1 officials have been selected to serve as appraisers at the tournament.

Destination Imagination reaches students across the U.S. and in more than 30 countries. Its main program is a team tournament where student teams solve mind-bending challenges. Teams are tested to think on their feet, work together and devise original solutions that satisfy the requirements of the challenges.