Destination Imagination first in scientific challenge

A Thermopolis Destination Imagination team qualified for the Global Finals competition in Knoxville, Tenn.

According to Jenny Davis, the Lights On Afterschool Program Coordinator, this is the first local state championship win.

"We've taken second and third and fourth, so it's a really big deal to get first," she said.

The winning team finished in first place in the Scientific Challenge.

Destination Imagination has four competition categories: Technical, Structural, Scientific and Fine Arts.

Davis said in order to do well in the competition teams really need to think on their feet.

"Students really have to step out of their comfort zone to do well," she said.

However, Davis said there could be a hiccup in taking the team to Knoxville. Because the program is separate from regular school activities, federal money cannot be spent to send the students.

Davis said this means each student will have to fundraise more than $1,500 each in order to attend.

And while some students may be able to pay their own way, she said most of her students will have to find some other funding option. Currently, the group is trying to come up with different fundraising plans.

The team that won included Thermopolis Middle School students Erica Meier, Katie Burrows, Jasmen Steadman, Breeze Petty, Naomi Bishop, Hannah Hu and Jariah Cogdill; they are coached by Wes Meier.

TMS sent four other teams to the state Destination Imagination tournament in Sheridan, and one TMS team earned the Spirit of Destination Imagination award. This team included members Hallie Martinez, Austin Barral, Jean Luc Willson and Ryan Mosser; they were coached by Janice Dunbar.

The Destination Imagination program encourages teams of learners to have fun, take risks, focus and frame challenges while incorporating STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), the arts and service learning.

All of the programs are project-based, and they teach the creative process from imagination to innovation. The goal is to help student teams learn to be creative in every aspect of their lives while working together.