Students win spot in ImagiNation finals

A team of seven students from Lakeland and Timberlake junior high schools has won the chance to participate in the largest creativity competition of its type held anywhere in the world – the Destination ImagiNation Global Finals 2006 tournament.

After winning against local teams on March 9, the group won first place April 8 in Eagle, Idaho, at the state tournament in the “Inside Dimension” challenge, with a structural/architectural focus.

Now, the team is raising money to join thousands of students, from the U.S. and 40 countries, to participate in the international tournament. It will be held May 24-27, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, according to Irina Harmon, Idaho’s co-affiliate director of the program.

Team member Kyle Newell, an eighth-grade Lakeland student, is thrilled everything went as planned at the state competition.

“I was happy we did well and nothing went wrong during our performance.”

Braedy Thomas, 14, another eighth-grade team member from Lakeland, agrees.

“We were really excited that it all came together – it was just really great.”

Much of the excitement is generated from years of hard work. Thomas notes that she and Newell, both 14, Alissa McCullough, 14, and Jacob Minter, 13, all Lakeland eighth-graders, have been involved in Destination ImagiNation for four years.

The three other students comprising the seven-member team are Becky Williams, 14, Lakeland eighth-grader; and two students from Timberlake, eighth-grader Ryan Sacksteder, 14, and Hailey Knox, 12, the youngest and only seventh-grader on the team.

Sherre Newell, Kyle’s mother, describes the team’s challenge.

“They had to create a performance about an architect, and chose Leslie E. Robertson, an architect of the World Trade Center. The performance had to include two ‘side trips.’ These included a vivid poem of the Sept. 11 attacks that reflected this horrible moment in our country’s history, yet with beautifully designed scenery. The kids handled this sensitive subject manner wonderfully.”

But that was just the beginning of the challenge, Newell adds.

“The team also had to design, build and test two structures, one inside the other, made of wood and glue. There were many rules to be followed for building the structure, and, it had to be creatively incorporated into an eight-minute performance. The structure weighed only 14 grams and held more than 300 pounds. This was all accomplished without any outside help – and they did great.”

Helping plant the seeds of greatness were two key teachers: Beth Brubaker and Dennis Kimberling with the Strengthening Talents, Reasoning and Intellect through Varied Experiences program in the Lakeland School District. Lakeland had two other first-place winning teams in other categories, and a team taking third-place. Woodland Middle School also had a first-place winner and Skyway Elementary had a second-place winning team.

The three-day global finals will be a culmination of teams’ hard work during the school year. It’s the highlight of the year for them, as all team winners represent their state, province, or country to compete at the annual international tournament.

The students gain important skills as they learn the process, art, and skill associated with problem-solving. Additionally, the program helps participants build skills for life in creative and critical thinking, time management, teamwork and problem solving – skills that can make them better students and citizens in their communities.

Sherre Newell is more than pleased with the program.

“It’s a creative problem solving program that encourages teamwork. It’s been amazing to see these kids exhibit their individual talents and pull them together in this performance. This in itself is a wonderful life lesson to learn, along with the educational value and sense of accomplishment.”

One major challenge the team faces is the $9,000 it will cost to send the team of seven and two chaperones to Knoxville.

“There’s no funding for these kids. They’ve been working hard to raise money in the small amount of time they have. The team’s sold pizza, candy and wristbands; participated in Shop for a Cause; is planning a car wash, and is contacting local businesses and organizations to try and raise the remaining $6,000 needed by May 1.”

Each winning team must decide whether to try and raise money to attend the global tournament. Because Idaho’s competition is relatively small, second-place winners are also given the opportunity to attend the global tournament.