For the first time, three teams of students from Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School participated in the Destination Imagination Global Finals tournament, which was held May 24-27 in Knoxville, Tenn.
In a statement, Supt. Jason Viloria praised students for thinking creatively to solve complex challenges. Those involved will be recognized at the June 13 school board meeting.
In Destination Imagination, student teams present their solutions by drawing on knowledge of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Local teams were among 1,400 teams from 20 countries that qualified for the final after advancing through local and state tournaments.
“Even though we did not bring home any trophies, students met teams from all over the states and other countries and were inspired by their creativities,” said Ermei Fan, the LBHS team teacher sponsor.
Thurston’s The Magnificent Sevens seventh-grade team participated in the scientific category, for which they created and presented a story about a secret mission.
Thurston’s Brilliant Boom Bam Bananas eighth-grade team designed a structure weighing 21 grams that held up nearly 500 pounds, and they performed a story about fictional dinosaurs using their inventions.
LBHS’ Laguna Code Breakers competed in the scientific challenge Top Secret, where they used two forms of cryptography.
Depending on the challenge, teams typically spend two to four months developing and practicing challenge solutions, which are showcased at the regional and state tournaments.
“Kids and adults alike wore self-made costumes designed from duct tape and other materials. My favorite costumes were the twirling human fidget spinners. The creativity was amazing,” said Brilliant Boom Bam Bananas team manager Tanya Hovanesian.
