Pretty Little DIers win wildcard

The team is made up of eighth graders Breeze Petty, Hannah Hu, Katie Burrows, Jazy Steadman, Erica Meier and Naomi Bishop.

The Pretty Little DI'ers won second place. They were first place in their instant challenges, but their central challenge pulled the team down to second place. Two of the best second place teams were given the wildcard and given the opportunity to go to the Nationals, Destination Imagination coordinator Sarah Cox said.

Cox said that Destination Imagination is a program designed to combine both STEM - science, technology, engineering and mathematics - with the fine arts.

"It is a challenge program and it's designed to spark higher-order thinking," she said.

The tournament featured both a central challenge, which the students choose and plan for, and instant challenges that can be either task- or performance-based, Cox said.

"All of our teams placed really well in the instant challenges this year," she said. "It's all about strategic thinking, collaboration and teamwork."

Cox said the Pace of Change challenge consisted of a skit with character changes along with presenting a vehicle built by the students.

Destination Imagination is completely funded by the Lights On program, Cox said.

"Anything above and beyond has to be donated by the community by the kids' fundraising efforts," she said.

Destination Imagination will begin fundraising efforts soon to raise money to send The Pretty Little DI'ers to the national competition, Cox said.

"It's really a fun program for both the students and coaches," she said.