A team of seven grade 6 &7 students from Bowen Island Community School have made it to the global final competition in a program called “Destination ImagiNation”. This is an innovative organization that teaches creativity, teamwork and problem solving to students in more than 40 countries. It is an unconventional learning experience where children and youth solve mind-bending challenges. Participants are tested to think on their feet, work as a team, and devise original solutions that satisfy the requirements of specific problems.
Over the past several months, thousands of teams throughout the world have presented their individual challenge solutions in local tournaments, and select teams have advanced to the Global Finals, the culmination of every Destination ImagiNation season.
Our little group from Bowen Island chose a structural engineering challenge as their main entry element – one of 5 challenge possibilities (each challenge is weighted towards engineering, theatre arts, science, or applied arts). In addition to building a weight bearing structure conforming to some highly technical specifications, the team also had to apply their creativity to interpret their design into a theatrical performance with a central prop that was required to transform in some way during the narrative.
In the BC regional competition, the team, consisting of Anna Grace Corbett, Abigail Creswick, Meghan Creswick, Oliver Creswick, Carter Gaudet, Bebel Gill-Norris, and Emma Reynolds, were able to create a structure that was technically superior to those of all teams at all levels including the senior high school teams. This, along with high scores achieved for their performance piece, and the creativity and quality of their costumes, allowed them to qualify for the Global Finals in Knoxville, Tennessee.
All team members and their parents MUST sign a contract of “non-interference” which states the entire challenge will be done by only the children, including all ideas, research, planning, and construction. The team of 12 year olds did all the measuring, cutting, gluing, tensioning, and adjusting themselves. In addition, they scripted, directed and performed a play, as-well-as making their own costumes, make-up, props, and set..
This is like the Olympics of the imagination and it is an incredible honour for a small island community to have won.
We are incredibly grateful to West Jet for given the whole team flights for an extremely reduced rate and also to Toshiba Business Solutions for providing all printed material for our campaign efforts. The team is still looking for community support to help cover the costs of accommodation and food while in Knoxville. If you are a facebook user please join and share our facebook group; “Bowen Island Destination Imagination” where we have news updates and an easy paypal donation link. Otherwise look out for community fundraising events and help the kids make it!
