Destination ImagiNation® is an innovative organization that teaches creativity, teamwork and problem solving to students across the U.S. and in more than 30 countries. In Colorado last year more than 750 teams, or roughly 5,250 Colorado students, participated in DI Challenges. Our main program is an unconventional team learning experience where student teams all over the world solve mind-bending Challenges. Teams are tested to think on their feet, work together as a team, learn critical thinking skills, and devise original solutions that satify the requirements of their Challenge. Participants gain more than basic knowledge and skills - they learn how to unleash their imaginations and take unique and risky approaches to problem solving!
Warm-up challenges are meant to get your team jump started. They are quick 5 minute improv exercises. The team has 3 minute to plan and 2 minutes to perform. Props may be imaginary. Scoring is based on the creativity of their solution and character development. Up to 25 points for creativity of the solution and up to 25 points for character development – for 50 points possible.
Your main character is a talking mouse, the place is a fancy restaurant, the goal is to write a love poem, the obstacle is there is an angry swarm of bees, and your prop is a shovel.
Your main character is a dirty dog, the place is inside a refrigerator, the goal is to find the monkey, the obstacle is the electricity keeps shutting off and your prop is an telephone.
Your main character is a hippy, the place is a shopping center, the goal is to bake cookies, the obstacle is you keep losing your way, and your prop is a light bulb.
Your main character is a really old man, the place is on top of a mountain, your obstacle is that you need to cut down a tree, and your prop is a spoon.
Your main character is a marathon runner, the place is Hawaii, your obstacle is that you can’t read the paper and your prop is a kitten.
Your main character is a crying vampire, the place is a campground, your obstacle is there is so much traffic, and your prop is an overdue library book.
Last November we had a fabulous time at our DI eXtreme for Adults Night at the Lionsgate Center in Lafayette. While this was supposed to be a fundraiser – it was really an opportunity for the “grown-ups” to get together to do a DI challenge, without the kid interference!
We had great fun and are hoping next time we get together for DI eXtreme for Adults you’ll JOIN US!
Challenge: Your team is to design three unique ways to wrap a birthday gift.
The Scene: Three of your friends are having birthdays. You are giving them the same gift but need to wrap them three different ways so you can tell them apart. Each of your friends has different personalities so your challenge is to design the wrapping to match the person receiving the gift.
Time: Your team will have 4 minutes to design and wrap the three gifts and 2 minutes to present the wrapped gifts and describe the personality of the person receiving the gift.
Materials: Scissors and colored markers (not to be used in the presentation) 3 milk cartons to be wrapped as the gifts, 1 brown paper grocery bag, 5 large rubber bands, 10 mailing labels, 1 yard of string, 3 sheets of colored 8×10 paper, 5 pieces of lasagna noodles, 1/2 yard fabric, 6 – 12 inch sheets of foil, 4 toilet paper tubes, 10 chenille stems (pipe cleaners) and 3 envelopes.
Scoring:(100 possible)
up to 10 points each for the creativity of the three wrapped gift (30 points possible)
up to 10 points each for the how well each gift match the personality of the person receiving the gift. (30 points possible)
0 to 20 point for the effectiveness of your presentation to the appraisers.
0 to 20 points for positive teamwork.
Team Debrief
The Gifts:
How creatively wrapped were your gifts?
What else could you have added? Subtracted? Done differently?
What were the personalities of the people you were giving the gifts to?
Did your gifts match these personalities?
What could you have done differently?
Time:
Did you complete the first part of the challenge within the 4 minutes? If no – why not? What could you do different?
Did you complete the second part of the challenge within the 2 minutes? If no – why not? What could you do different?
Did anyone ask now much time was left to work?
Teamwork:
Did your team work well together?
Was every team members ideas listened to?
Did every team member participate in the challenge?
The Points:
Did your team read over the scoring section of the challenge?
It’s was requested that the PowerPoint presentation from the Team Manager Training session be posted to the web site for everyone to view. If you have any further questions please contact your Regional Challenge Master (listed in the PowerPoint) or one of the Area Challenge Masters for DI-Bot.
January 10, 2010-Cherry Hill, New Jersey-Destination ImagiNation (DI) is pleased to announce its participation in Disney’s Give a Day Get a Disney Day program that rewards volunteerism with a free day at any Disney park. DI joins hundreds of organizations, corporations and non-profit organizations encouraging everyone to make a difference in their communities.
“DI would not exist without the dedication and energy of our more than 35,000 volunteers, so it was an easy decision to register with Disney and participate in this great program,” said Chuck Cadle, CEO of Destination ImagiNation, Inc. “Being able to recognize all of our volunteers with such a generous gift sends a positive message about giving back.”
Beginning January 1, 2010, interested parties can visit www.DisneyParks.com to register as a volunteer with DI. DI has many volunteer roles across all states that include helping during Tournament season and managing a DI team. Students can also participate by selecting DI’s Service Learning Challenge that focuses on affecting change in a community through music. DI will continuously update all volunteer opportunities at www.DisneyParks.com.
Volunteer opportunities for DI will continue throughout 2010. Volunteers are needed during the busy Tournament months between January and April, and adult Team Managers are needed for DI teams at the start of the 2010-11 season starting September 2010. To learn more about DI and volunteering, visit www.IDODI.org.
“The Give a Day Get a Disney Day program is the perfect way to become involved in Destination ImagiNation, and it will be a great recruitment campaign for attracting new volunteers,” said Dick Pinney, Executive Director, California Creativity Association. “We have seen DI grow through the dedication of our volunteers and hope participation in Disney’s program will help increase interest in our extraordinary after-school activity.”
Breaking DI News Team Managers and Appraisers are invited to a Webinar Training.
If you are interested in attending please contact Jim Sirko
Challenge “E” Team Manager Training Webinar
Tuesday, January 12, 2010 from 6:30 PM till 9:00 PM
Challenge “E” Appraiser Training Webinar (Appraisers Only)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 from 6:30 PM till 9:00 PM
Challenge E: Breaking DI® News
Educational Focus: Structural Engineering, Materials Science, International Relations, Research, Innovation and Design Process, Mathematics, Theater Arts, Teamwork.
The Destination:
Where This Challenge Will Take You!
Extra, Extra! Read all about it! DI teams make headlines building a structure that holds the most and weighs the least. Choose this Challenge and your team will reduce your props, reuse a story and recycle a newspaper all to prove that you can do more with less!
Points of Interest! Your team will:
Design, build, and test a Structure made only of newsprint and glue.
Reduce the props and scenery used in the Presentation to fit inside a 30in x 24in x 48in (76.20cm x 60.96cm x 121.92cm) container.
Reuse a story about a Newsworthy Event in a nation other than your own.
Recycle newsprint by using it creatively in a costume or prop.
Create two Side Trips and integrate them into the Presentation.
You can run but you can’t hide. DI eXtreme takes the world of Destination ImagiNation, melts it down, reforges it, and blows it up. DI eXtreme teams solve Challenges that are designed to push the boundaries, and the lack of time, sleep, and resources associated with this age group combine for the perfect formula for edgy and intense solutions. DI eXtreme is more than just a fun event for high school and college-aged participants: it is the ultimate test of creativity, teamwork and problem solving.
The DI eXtreme program is available for all individuals or teams in high school or college/university, even those competing in DI Challenges. Various Regions and Affiliates offer DI eXtreme Challenges at their Tournaments. At these Tournaments, kits are provided that include all materials needed to run the site.
Technical elements are enhanced with performance requirements, brewing a pure adrenaline rush that propels teams to utter wackiness. DI eXtreme is run on different platforms that vary in duration and cost requirements. Throw out everything you think you know about DI, because we certainly have!
Creativity Tour 48 is comprised of four individuals (3 DI alumni and 1 DI admirer) with different backgrounds and passions who have bonded together over a love of travel and a strong belief in the learning that Destination ImagiNation® inspires. We believe Destination ImagiNation shows students their unlimited creative potential and teaches the values of teamwork, cooperation, and mutual respect. We will travel through the lower 48 states on behalf of DI, and it is our goal to help more students benefit from this exciting and rewarding program. Their travel schedule begins January 28th and ends February 28.
To learn more about the Creativity Tour 48 visit their Web Site or their Facebook Page.
Find out about sending a Flamingo on Tour with the Creativity Tour 48 Crew.
In DI, there are certain expectations of team members, parents, and Team Managers.
Expectations for Students:
Your Team Manager has VOLUNTEERED to work with your team. He/She has had to give up some other activities in order to work with your team. Never forget that.
Behave as you would in school: Regardless of whether your meetings are held at school or in someone’s home, behavior that is inappropriate at school is inappropriate at DI meetings. Your Team Manager may send you home from your meeting if you are interfering with the group’s progress.
In DI, all ideas are worth hearing. Rude remarks about the ideas of others will not be tolerated.
Being on a team means being responsible for your share of the tasks. If you volunteer to do something, follow through.
It’s fun to work on your DI Team Challenge solution, but your schoolwork needs to come first. Make sure that spending time on DI is not keeping you from doing your homework.
Expectations for Parents:
Please be considerate of the Team Manager’s time. Be prompt when dropping off or picking up at meetings.
Do not schedule appointments for your child during the time usually reserved for the team’s regular meeting. At DI meetings, every team member is needed.
Expenses incurred by the team in creating its solution must be shared by team members. Some Team Managers are uncomfortable about asking for money, so make it a point to ask from time to time. Materials should not cost much, but the TM should not have to pay for everything.
Please don’t say: “I wish I could help you, but I work.” We are all busy people. We all work full time, it’s just that some of us are not paid for it! Helping the team by being a go-fer, assisting the TM, or providing a snack can be very inconvenient, but it’s a part of the package. Please try to say YES when the Team Manager asks for something.
If you have any concerns about your child, the team’s progress, or the Team Manager, communicate with the appropriate party. Don’t wait for a small problem to become a big one. Tell the TM or the DI Coordinator.
Expectations for Team Managers:
TMs need to give team members and their parents monthly meeting calendars so that everyone knows when and where meetings will be held.
TMs should work hard to make sure that every team member has a chance to contribute his or her unique skills and talents to the solution of the Challenge. In all teams there are members who are outgoing and assertive, and members who are quiet and less likely to volunteer ideas – Team Managers should make sure that all members of a team feel comfortable sharing ideas and expertise.
TMs must have respect for the integrity of the team’s solution. “No Interference” means just that. The Team Manager should never allow his/her ideas to enter into the team’s solution.
TMs MAY NOT have competitive goals for the team. A TM’s role in Destination Imagination is to oversee the process, to help the team organize itself to meet its own goals. Most teams in your Affiliate will not be going to Global Finals. Encouraging your team to put forth their best effort is different from pushing the team to win. Over-emphasizing “winning” rather than “best effort” may result in the team feeling a sense of failure at anything less than First Place. Team Managers need to remember that a) The emphasis should be on the PROCESS of solving the Challenge, not the Presentation, and b) Above all else, DI is supposed to be FUN!
by debi
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