Last spring, 19 Thurston Middle School students on four teams, led by science teacher Inouye Wu, participated for the first time in the Destination Imagination Challenge regional tournament in El Cajon. Three teams advanced to the state competition, The 4 Technoteers, Brilliant Boom Bam Bananas and Technical Difficulties. Thurston will compete again this year.
The competition is volunteer-led and is intended to inspire and equip students to become leaders and innovators, says a school district announcement.
Last year, Amy You and her mother, Wenjie Li, a Thurston parent volunteer, participated in the competition. Amy’s brother, Alan, was so captivated, he asked his mother if she would help start the program at Top of the World Elementary the following year.
Li and 13 other TOW parents volunteered their weekends and after school time, allowing five student teams to also experience this unusual educational opportunity. The Swift Snow Leopards student team, managed by parent volunteer Amy Hundhausen, competed in the Feary Tales Fine Arts Challenge at regionals and advanced to the state competition.
Hundhausen and Li are both engineers.
Students choose from seven challenges that require students to integrate their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The challenges are open-ended and student teams are encouraged to take risks while solving challenges.
Parent volunteer Eunnie Hur praised TOW administrators for their support. “They provided staff and resources in ways that were unexpected,” she said in the statement. “To see teachers and the principal engaged and participating in training and practices was entirely supportive and encouraging. Laguna Beach students and parents are blessed to have this sort of support in our school system.”
TOW fifth grade teacher Brian Kull agreed. “Destination Imagination was a great opportunity for students to develop their problem solving and collaboration skills,” he said.
Additional info: at destinationimagination.org.
[…] 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, […]