Medfield Destination Imagination Information Night 10/6

Medfield Destination Imagination Information Night -Thursday, Oct 6th

DI is a fun hands-on system of learning that fosters students’ creativity and curiosity through open-ended academic challenges.

Medfield’s Destination Imagination (DI) program will hold an information Night on Thursday, October 6 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the Wheelock School Cafeteria.

New participants are welcome to come learn what DI is all about.

DI is a fun hands-on system of learning that fosters students’ creativity and curiosity through open-ended academic challenges. DI’s mission and vision is to teach students the creative process and empower them with the skills needed to succeed in an ever-changing world. In solving challenges using a student-driven, collaborative, problem-solving approach, DI participants learn patience, flexibility, persistence, time-management, and respect for others and their ideas.

Teams, consisting of no more than seven members, choose to participate in one of the Central Challenges. This year, the challenges being offered include:

• PIECE BY PIECE– This Technical Challenge prompts students to complete tasks by using engineering, research, strategic planning, and related skills.
• FAR-FETCHED – This Scientific Challenge blends the curiosity of scientific research with the creative expression of performance art.
• THRILL RIDE – This Engineering Challenge asks students to design, build, and test load-bearing structures created from specific materials.
• FLIP THE SCRIPT– This Fine Arts Challenge helps students develop acting and creative skills through artistic media, theater arts, script writing, and prop design.
• SHOWDOWN – This Improvisational Challenge is all about research, spontaneity, and storytelling. Teams receive topics and produce skits right on the spot.
• HIGH STAKES – This Service Learning Challenge is designed to engage students in public service that addresses real-life community issues.
• PLAY ON (available to 2nd grade only) – The Rising Stars Challenge offers simple experiences with the creative process, and gives young kids a place to work together and make new friends.

Teamwork and creativity are two key components of DI. A willingness to cooperate with others and learn new things are really the only pre-requisites. Skills and talents are revealed and acquired in the creative problem-solving process. Parents are invited to KEEP OUT of the process!

DI is students working with students to problem solve and create solutions to challenges. The only role parents’ play is as a guide to the process. In fact, DI considers it “interference” if an idea comes from a non-team member. Each team will have the support of two parent Team Managers but students, not the “coaches”, drive the solution.Students can sign up in groups of 7 (or less) or can sign-up individually and will be placed on a team.

Teams may be same-gender or co-ed and typically consist of members in the same grade. Teams are broken into grade-level divisions: elementary(3rd-5th); middle level (6th-8th); senior level (9th-12th). There is also a non-competitive Rising Star division, for 2nd graders. Team members work together during the school year to prepare for the regional competition in March where Medfield DI teams compete against teams from local towns.

For more information on Medfield DI, attend the Information Night on October 6th from7:00-8:00 p.m. in Wheelock Cafeteria. Meet and talk with experienced Team Managers as they explain “Instant Challenges” and share their Destination Imagination experience.

Registration forms will be distributed and are due no later than October28th. If you can’t make it, please email: mariapuglia@me.com For more information, visit the MA DI website www.madikids.org or the national DIwebsite www.idodi.org or email www.medfielddi@comcast.net