• Welcome to Colorado Destination ImagiNation!

    A Program Where Creativity Happens!

    Just imagine the possibilities...

    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!

    We invite you to join us make creativity happen!

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Designing the Future Team – August Meeting Report

The Designing our Future team held its first meeting in conjunction with the Colorado Extreme Creativity (CEC) retreat in August in order to begin the process of determining the direction that CEC will follow for the future.  We began by using information generated by Saturday’s retreat groups as a starting point for our discussions.  Right now we are in the developmental stage – getting to know each other and exploring all of the possible paths that we might choose to follow.  We look forward to sharing our ideas and recommendations with you as our work progresses.

The Designing the Future Team: Robin Vidimos, Hal Eden, Brook Hampton, Julia Hampton, Cate Stanek, Heather Schoech, Claudia Ricklefs, Jenny Ricklefs, Connie Ackerman, Lindsey Kennedy, Angela Maez, Susan Resneck, Mary Ann Goff, Becky Butz, Jim Butz, Debbie Piper, Debi Tipton, Matt Gardner, Kevin Cogswell, Mary Gelb, Hannah Frazier.

2010-2011 Destination ImagiNation Challenge Previews

Challenge A: unidentified moving object – technical

•    Design and build Equipment to move various Materials to and from towering heights
•    Start and end the Presentation with the Equipment contained in a Storage Box
•    Create and present a Sales Promotion highlighting the features of the Equipment
•    Complete all of the above with no AC electrical power

Challenge B: spinning a tale – scientific

•    Research Energy Cycles in the Natural and/or Physical World
•    Develop and present an original three-act Circular Story that demonstrates knowledge about one Energy Cycle of the team’s choice
•    Create a DIcycler that changes as the Story progresses and the acts change
•    Create a Finale that uses your DIcycler to signal the end of your Presentation

Challenge C: triple take road show – fine arts

•    Use three different Storytelling Methods to tell the same story to three team-chosen Pretend Audiences
•    Portray the Travel Methods used to move your Traveling Road Show between different Pretend Audiences
•    Integrate a team-created Technical Spectacle into one presentation to a Pretend Audience

Challenge D: mythology mission – improvisational

•    Create a five-minute Improvisational Skit about a Mission involving a Mythical Creature. This must be done in a five-minute Preparation Time prior to your Presentation at the Tournament.
•    Incorporate research about a Culture from a country
•    Incorporate three Souvenirs randomly selected from the list of items and combine them to create one Master Prop
•    Incorporate an Unexpected Problem that is discovered on stage

Challenge E: verses! foiled again – structural

•    Design and build a Structure made only of Aluminum Foil, Wood and Glue
•    Test how much weight the Structure will hold
•    Present a Story about a character that is Foiled
•    Integrate team-written Verse and published Verse into your Story

Rising Stars: big bug’s bad day – noncompetitive

Calling our youngest creative problem solvers! Your team will:

•    Learn about bugs and how they work with other living things
•    Create a play that tells about Big Bug’s bad day
•    Explore how Big Bug’s friends try to make the day better

Project OutReach: dynamic networks – service-learning

Make a difference in your community! This Challenge has two distinct portions:
•    First, your team will design and carry out a Project to address a real community need and integrate a social network
•    Second, at the Tournament, your team will showcase your Project with an Album and a Presentation, as well as complete an Instant Challenge

Designing the Future of Destination ImagiNation Colorado!

To apply for the Designing Our Future team: Click Here!

Colorado Extreme Creativity is planning to create a team to “Design the Future” of Colorado Extreme Creativity and Destination ImagiNation Colorado. This is an opportunity to examine where our organization has been, where it is now, and to set a course for the future to make our program even better. This will involve examining our mission and goals as well as our approach to presenting the DI program to participants throughout Colorado. We are looking for high-energy, open-minded, bold thinkers who are committed to our Destination ImagiNation Colorado program and are interested in being part of the team that will take on this Colorado DI Challenge. This team is not for the faint of heart but for those wanting to dig in and design an outstanding future for all Colorado DI participants.

Who are we looking for?
Team Managers, Team Members, Appraisers, Alumni, Parents, Challenge Masters, Regional Directors and Business People. We are looking for people from all geographic areas in Colorado. This needs to be a well rounded team with all areas of Destination ImagiNation Colorado represented.

What is the time commitment?
All participants must attend the State DI Retreat in Keystone on August 28th and 29th to begin work. They must also commit to monthly meetings thereafter. The team will work during this tournament season to create a vision that will be presented to the entire Destination ImagiNation Colorado community right after Global Finals in May, 2011. Participants from outside the Denver metro area can attend the monthly meeting virtually.

How do I sign up?
In order to make sure all areas of DI participation are well represented there will be an application process and team members will be selected from the pool of interested people. The applications will be emailed by August 1, 2010. The deadline for applying will be August 8, 2010. Team selection will be made by August 15, 2010. Our team will be limited to no more than 25 members.

If you have any other questions please feel free to
contact me.

Sincerely,

Debi Tipton – President, Colorado Extreme Creativity
Colorado Extreme Creativity

Day Two of the 2010 Global Finals Competition

As of today 32 of the 46 Colorado teams have completed their long term challenges. All of the teams we’ve seen so far have given excellent performances. The schools they represent should be very proud. Our day started out with with the three Project Out Reach teams. Their performances included information about a public service they’d performed while doing researching. These three teams needed to include music as the central theme. St Vincent dePaul choose working with their local school for special needs children incorporating music into play. Skyview used music with positive image themes to highlight a fashion show for women of all sizes and shapes. St Mary’s raised money for infants at Children’s hospital by selling mixed CDs. Each team took a different, but very moving road and pressed the appraisers.

The DI-Bot teams took up most of our day. Not only were the solutions interesting, they were well done. The Escalante team performed to a full house.. Not only did the Colorado teams show up but teams from all over the world were there to show their support.

Tonight’s graduation was another Colorado highlight. Megan Morgenthaler from the Splee team was the DI class Valedictorian. She gave a beautiful speech (which will be posted here once we return to CO) about what DI means. The TM & O party was directly after followed by the Midnight Madness event for Kids high school and older.

The Team Challenges – Thursday

Today’s challenge viewing consisted of 6 Breaking DI News teams, 5 Direct Deposit teams, 2 Do or DI teams and one You’re Gonna Flip team. Because there are several teams scheduled for the same it was next to impossible to see everyone. We tried to split up but still missed the SVDP Alumni team due to the buses running behind schedule.

The teams did a great job today. We’ve seen all but one of the Breaking DI News and DIrect DIposit teams perform. The group favorite so far is the Do or DI team from Aspen Academy. Not only are they about the cutest little kids around but the room laughed nonstop during the 7 minute planning time and the performance.

Tonight the teams have several choices of activities to choose from. The Improv Fiesta or The Costume Ball. All are a fun way to spend the evening. As always there will be plenty on pin trading! The teams have been making get well posters and signing cards to cheer Sam up and let him know we’re thinking about him. This is such a great, supportive group!

Fridays schedule will require some quick travels on our parts to fit everyone in. 19 teams perform but thankfully their locations are fairly close together. It will be tight!

T w i t t e r