~ Submitted by Bedford MADI
Bedford MA Destination Imagination (Bedford MADI) is entering another year of creativity, teamwork, learning, and performing. We are inviting all Bedford students (along with adult volunteers) to start or join a team!
Destination Imagination (DI) is a worldwide team-based STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics) activity where kids in Kindergarten through Grade 12 join teams of 2-7 other students. Each team works together throughout the DI season, typically meeting weekly from late fall through early spring, to solve one of seven challenge options provided by Destination Imagination (more information about DI and this year’s challenge previews can be found at https://www.destinationimagination.org).
To solve a challenge, teams might build and decorate scenery, sew costumes, research facts on animal habitats, gravitation on a different planet or the life of a historical figure, learn about electronics and programming, write and perform music, construct bridges or small vehicles, make up entire worlds and creatures of that world, or any combination of these things and more. While the challenges have scoring rubrics and get appraised at competitions in the spring, the primary goal of a DI season is creativity, collaboration, innovation, resilience, discovery, building confidence, and having fun.
The big kicker of DI is that kids cannot have any outside help with their challenge solution. All ideas and work towards the final creation (which is traditionally an 8-minute theatrical presentation or performance with a short on-the-spot team challenge at a regional, state, and then worldwide tournament) must come from the kids on the team and only the kids on the team. (Last year, all solutions were submitted as recordings with some or all of the season meeting virtually, it’s unclear yet how COVID adjustments will be made for this year’s season and tournament plans.) Siblings, caregivers, teachers or kids on other teams are not allowed to give ideas, clear up paint jobs, patch falling down props, or give feedback in any way that adds to the final solution. Outside adult supervision is required to maintain safe environments, teach the team skills they can use (once the team identifies what is needed), help younger teams with organization/project management (bigger kids are on their own!), and cart materials and supplies around as needed.
Destination Imagination tends to appeal to creative kids who have an interest in STEAM or theater. Meeting times are flexible based upon team availability, but Destination Imagination requires a lot of time, work, and effort commitment on the part of the child and their family (volunteer team managers are generally caregivers/team parents responsible for running meetings once a week and more often as tournaments approach, while all team families maintain time at home for kids to work on projects individually or with teammates outside of team meetings).
Destination Imagination is an inclusive activity. All students are welcome and encouraged to join a team. Financial support is available to cover material and registration fees if needed.
Bedford has a decades-long history of turning out DI teams that place high in the regional, state and even worldwide level, and we are hoping to engage elementary school kids who will rise through the program. If you are interested in participating, there are lots of ways to learn more!
Look for us at Bedford Day, September 18th, in Booth #89
Attend our upcoming virtual information session via Zoom on September 27 at 7:30 PM — meeting link is here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4103327140
Email [email protected] or visit our website at www.bedfordmadi.org for more information or to register before the October 1st deadline.
Loading ...
