With college football season over it is time to turn my attention to Destination Imagination (DI)!  It looks like a great group of up and coming students in the Rising Stars group.  Enjoyed seeing many past Rising Star children and managers at IC Day at St. Mary’s Academy.  I hope that my work with them in previous years in the South Metro region helped them feel good about moving forward.  It’s just amazing to watch these kids grow up and mature, putting to use everything that DI teaches them to do.  Now, how do we keep them involved in DI throughout their life? 

by Wendy Frenzel

Heather’s train made it in early though it backed into the station which took longer than Heather wanted, even though she was still early by about 20 minutes.  She got off the train running to the car, conductors asked her to slow down as they didn’t want her to fall, so we could dash the short distance to the Auroria Campus for the DI Tournament.  She made it in time so she could appraise (her favorite thing to do).

Heather’s section started appraising at 7:15 and appraised until 5:30 with a little break for lunch and very short breaks to get drinks.  Some of these breaks they used to “catch up” by allowing the teams that came in late because of the weather to perform.  She saw some really great teams where it was going to come down to the Instant Challenge to determine who was going to Globals in Knoxville.  Because of Heather’s mad dash back to the train with food first  (followed by work when she got back into Lincoln), she didn’t have the opportunity to go to the great party afterward where the team places would be announced.  One of the team managers Heather and I have known for a long time (one of her teams went to Globals the year we did) was going to text Heather with the results.

I tried appraising for something different.  This was the first year it was really done at the High School and State level – DI Extreme.  I do wish this was an option back when Heather and Karen had competed.  It is a big Instant Challenge.  Teams really need to read and reread their challenge during the “Tinker Tank” time so they can understand what the challenge is really about.  We saw many solutions but only one team had a solution that met the challenge criteria.  It was a great opportunity to work with the High Schoolers after working with the Rising Stars.  I think I’m going to volunteer for this level when I’m not working with the Rising Stars. 

Overall it was a great day and I think fun was had by most.  I know I appreciated how close the buildings were for the different challenges so even though walking was involved, it was not miles.  The other great thing – parking was a lot cheaper than past years.

My biggest worry for Saturday is the weather forcast.  I know that the South Metro Region worried two weeks ago when the weather forcast was not good for our tournament, but it was a winter storm that didn’t materialize.  I’m hoping the “big” storm they are talking about for Saturday doesn’t materialize as a winter storm but instead as nice rain showers.  I know that I’m not the only one with this wish for good weather for the tournament.

I’m not sure how long Heather and I will be able to stay for the awards ceremony to see which teams will be moving on to Destination Imagination (DI) Globals.  Heather has to catch the train back to Lincoln that night.  Yes, that is dedication!

I know that I saw some great solutions provided by the Rising Stars.  I always enjoy watching the teams and being able to say “Wow!”.  I know that my appraisers enjoy that as well.  Though sometimes, team managers, are a little worried about what their teams do in Instant Challenge, but all I can say is, “We’ve seen just about everything, so nothing surprises us.”

I do think that those that have grown up with Destination Imagination in the South Metro Region believe the best part (well maybe after finding out you are advancing to state) is the party!  It’s a great place to celebrate the creativity of all the participants.  The way South Metro starts it out is with dancing and then the great parade of Rising Stars.  I always love the parade as the Rising Stars march around the gym to a standing ovation.  It makes me so proud of those kids! 

After the Rising Star parade, they recieve their medals and lead the gym in dance to the A-Totlie-Tot.  Yes, I know I’ve most likely misspelled it and can’t do the song justice but I believe many DIers understand.  Poor Jeff, as he was in the stands, I was helping a group of Rising Stars with the actions, and being abandoned by Kat so she could really “groove” was chastised by a grandparent for not dancing along.  Knowing that we’ve been involved with DI for at least 9 years some way or another was not an execuse he could readily use or that others want to hear – they just want to see everyone dancing to this silly but fun song.

If you haven’t yet, take a moment to view some of the pictures I posted to my twitter account from the night.  You’ll even get to see an Italian Rat and Gumby that were made as props by a South Metro team that they will be taking to state and most likely to Global finals in Knoxville.

IC is not something that a team can prepare for except by practicing old IC’s and learning about the different ways materials can be used.  They also can prepare as they learn how to work together as a team.  Teamwork is one of the biggest scoring areas in IC.  Other areas that can be scored are how materials were used and was the challenge solved.

But if one team goes into IC knowing about that challenge exactly and how to solve it, they have an unfair advantage over those teams that don’t know the challenge.  Since DI is a program around the world and each area holds tournaments at different times, if a parent learns about a challenge from their child and then discusses it with their sister in another area and then the sister discusses it with their best friend who then discusses it with their child that just happens to be on a DI team, what could happen?  This is why, “What happens in IC, stays in IC,” until after Globals so all children are on the same playing field.

I can say that I had many great solutions presented at the Denver Region Tournament in the Rising Star IC challenge.  They were great in understanding that I had to keep their “creations” a secret until June, which can be a very hard concept for 5 through 7 year olds.  It’s important for parents to understand this concept as well and have faith that DI is there to help their children grow and that they will learn about the challenge soon enough.  Just think of it as the present that you are waiting to unwrap in June that your child has for you.

Thank you to the Challenge Masters, appraisers, Team Managers, and teams for making yesterday such a fun day at George Washington High School for the Denver Region Tournament.  I’m sure I’ll see some of those teams that are moving on to state in IC.

I, Wendy Frenzel, am the challenge master for the Rising Stars, in the South Metro Region.  This is the noncompetitive section for kids that are in Kindergarten through 2nd grade.  This year, we had many new team managers for the Rising Stars with a lot of questions.  I know from experience how it is to be a new team manager as it seems only yesterday that my oldest, Heather, and her friend, Karen, asked me to be their manager when they started high school.

From a parent of a team member, to a team manager of a high school team of two girls, to an appraiser, and then to a challenge master, Destination Imagination has kept me busy each year from January through May.  Heather, after competing for several years and going to Globals as Junior, appraises now.  I saw someone mention on Twitter that it was going to be her last tournament and she was feeling sad – maybe as a team member it’ll be her last tournament but you don’t have to stop your Destination Imagination journey as there are many areas to still be involved.  The South Metro region is good at asking for help and keeping people involved if they want to be.

My next two weekends will be busy helping out at other region’s tournaments and then the South Metro tournament on April 4th.  And then it’s state for more appraising!  Heather will be coming home over her Spring Break to appraise on the 14th and then the 21st, and hopefully will be able to come back for state.  Heather told me that it is going to be her 9th year working with DI some way or another.

So, if you want to watch how different teams of kids that are given a problem, and then how each solve it differently, make sure you visit a Destination Imagination tournament and watch one of the several challenges.  It always brings a smile to my face to see the costumes and the Creativity of their Imaginations!

Watch for picture and text updates from me on Twitter!