Ava Advances To DI Global Finals
The Ava R-1 Schools Destination Imagination teams competed Saturday, April 9, in the Missouri Destination Imagination 2011 Affiliate Finals Tournament presented by Missouri Creative Adventures, Inc.
The competition was held on the campus of Missouri Southern State University, Joplin.
Team ‘TARDIS” members are: Johnnie Carl, Andrew Casey, Eliza Higley, and Callie Marie Hicks.
Team “Ava Bears” are: Lizzy Linder, Braden Swofford and Jonah Smith. Team manager for Ava R-1 Schools is Karen Davis. Both teams earned second place in their divisions on their levels.
High school team “TARDIS” (Totally Awesome Radical DI’erS) earned second place on the secondary level of “Mythology Mission” challenge while the fifth grade team “Ava Bears” earned second place on the elementary level of “Mythology Mission” challenge.
Earning a second place award at state competition earns the team the privilege to compete “against the world” at DI Global Finals on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville, Tenn.
The Ava R-1 teams will be competing against 50 other state teams (Texas has two) in the United States and 23 other countries from around the world.
The competition will be held May 25 through 28 with updates on the Internet at idodi.org or DI Global Finals 2011.
The Ava teams will travel to Knoxville on May 24 and will return home on May 29.
Destination Imagination is an educational program in which student teams solve open-ended challenges and present their solutions at tournaments. Teams are tested to think on their feet, work together and devise original solutions that satisfy the requirements of the challenges.
Participants gain more than just basic knowledge and skills – they learn to unleash their imaginations and take unique approaches to problem solving. Students learn critical and creative thinking skills, learn to apply creative problem solving methods, develop teamwork, collaboration and leadership skills while working together to achieve goals.
They nurture research and inquiry skills, involving both creative exploration and attention to detail. Students learn to apply written and verbal communication and presentation skills (both impromptu and sustained). This competition promotes the recognition, use, and development of varied strengths and talents and encourages competence in, enthusiasm for, and commitment to real-life problem solving.
Each team competes in two events during qualifying competitions. Teams have a central challenge where teams work over a long period of time, usually several months.
There are several central challenges a team can choose to work on including technical, scientific, fine arts, improvisational, and structural specifics. All teams also compete in an instant challenge event. Instant challenge events ask team members to solve a problem in a very short period of time without knowing ahead of time what the problem will be. These challenges are presented and solved often in just a few minutes.
Attending Destination Imagination Global Finals is very costly. Ava is one of the smallest schools earning the opportunity to compete in this event. Local teams will be doing some fund raising in the next few weeks. The community is asked to please support our students, our school, and our community.
Donations are requested to help offset the cost for this exciting opportunity. Every dollar is important and appreciated. Please send donations to Ava R-1 Schools DI Global Finals (c/o Ava R-1 Schools, PO Box 338, Ava MO 65608).
For more information about this project call Karen Davis at 417-683-3835 ext. 217.
