Help Farmington Area Students Reach Destination: Imagination Global Competition

Three Farmington area Destination Imagination (DI) teams headed to global competition May 23-26 in Knoxville, TN need a little help getting there. 

Program leader Jean Bartus said three teams qualified for Destination Imagination's Global Finals by winning at the state level April 21. Eight Farmington teams came away from regional competition in March with 1st, 2nd or 3rd place honors. 

Students each need $650 to cover their trip to Global Finals, where they'll be part of the largest creative thinking and problem solving competition in the world. Teams will participate in structural, fine arts and technical challenges.

Bartus said DI was once part of the DELTA program for gifted students, until the program was eliminated due to budget cuts. Now, students pay for all fees and materials costs on their own. 

"The thing with Destination Imagination is it's not something you're required to do," Bartus said. "It's a challenge you take on, because you want to learn independently." She said the ideas for solving challenges and their "product" or solution originate with students.

To help the team get to Knoxville, mail checks (payable to "Destination Imagination Farmington") to treasurer Alison Shasteen, 34166 State St., Farmington, MI 48335.

Teams successful in state competition include:

Fine Arts Challenge Senior Level - 2nd Prize (Global qualified)

Suzanne Delius team manager; team members Sarah Robert (11), Alyssa Robert (10) and Courtney Pierret (10), all and Haley Gold (10),

Structural Challenge Elementary Level - 2nd Prize (Global qualified)

Yan Jiang, team manager; team members Alexander Jiang (2), Caleb Engelsman (3) and Riley Zarczynski (3), ; James Dallison (2), ; and Rahul Gopala (2),

Structural Challenge Senior Level - 1st Prize (Global qualified)

Kumar Narayanan, team manager; team members Akilesh Sivakumar (12), Sri Aburi (12), Rohit Bhadange (11) and Rayen Pattnaik (12), ; Deepak Kumar (12), Samrudh Rajachoodamani (12) and Alishah Chator (12), International Academy

Technical Challenge - Middle School - 3rd Prize

Jean Bartus, team manager; team members Jacob Bartus (8), Joshen Patel (8), Blake Shilllingford (8) and Ashwath Arjunan (8), ; Prakash Kumar, (8) and Rakesh Rajkumar (8),