Season to begin for Destination ImagiNation

Staff report

Youngstown

Destination ImagiNation’s 2012-13 season is about to begin, and local students are invited to participate and become part of the world’s premier creativity, teamwork and problem-solving program.

Every year, DI programs reach 125,000 students across the U.S. and in more than 30 countries.

The main Destination ImagiNation program is a team tournament where student teams from all over the world 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.

Participants gain more than just basic knowledge and skills.

They learn to unleash their imaginations and take unique approaches to problem solving.

Local elementary, middle and high school students in Mahoning, Trumbull and Ashtabula counties are forming teams to represent Region 1 in statewide and global competition as the 2013 DI program kicks off.

Cindy Capp, the Region 1 Director for Ohio DI, said two to three teams already are forming locally, and are beginning to work on their challenges for the Region 1 tournament, which will take place at Youngstown State University on March 16, 2013.

In DI, student teams participate in challenges: exercises that socially and intellectually activate students by prompting them to use creativity and teamwork to solve problems.

DI team challenges fall into seven categories: technical and mechanical; science and theater arts; theater and fine arts; improvisation and theater arts; structural and architectural design; community service; and Rising Stars! for early learners.

Surveys of students in the DI program conducted by the University of Tennessee have shown that students believe participation in DI helped them improve their grades.

A majority said participation in DI had helped them “do better in school,” had improved their self-confidence, helped them become better communicators, enhanced their respect for others and had improved their creativity and problem-solving skills.

Destination ImagiNation is open to all educational venues: public, private and home school.

Anyone who is interested may contact Cindy Capp at okcregion1.di@gmail.com and label your subject line “I want to join DI.”

Information is available at region1di.org and at IDODI.org.