By Susan Paulsen
DENVER – As the school year draws to a close, many children may be imagining what they will be doing this summer. One contingent of kids, along with parents, teachers and sponsors, are focused on imagination itself – Destination Imagination.
This contingent is composed of the teams that have earned an invitation to compete in the 2015 Destination Imagination Global Finals, to be held May 20-23, 2015 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The teams were among the 28 groups sponsored by Douglas County School District’s (DCSD) Gifted Education department that competed in the Colorado Affiliate Destination Imagination Tournament at the Auraria Campus on April 25. A total of 287 teams from across the state competed at the all-day tournament.
Stone Mountain Elementary School (Highlands Ranch), has an unprecedented four teams participating in the Global Finals.
The Global Finals is the worlds largest celebration of creativity, with more than 45 states and 13 countries represented. More than 8,000 students will participate in the opportunity to work together, solve problems effectively and experience the creative process.
| Cougar Run Elementary – Team S.M.A.R.T. (Super Marvelous Awesome Robotics Team) pictured above | ||
| Challenge: Creature Feature, Elementary Level | Team Manager: Vicki Lollini | Team Members:Ryan Fish, Nicole Lollini, Lauren Pezel, RyAnn Pryor, Colin Williams |
| Mountain Ridge MS, Mountain Vista HS and Highlands Ranch HS – One Dancing Pickle and Three Unimpressed Cucumbers | ||
| Challenge: The Improv Games, Secondary Level | Team Managers:Ashley and Jose Vasquez | Team Members: Jack Vasquez, Olivia Vasquez, Zoe Johnston, Henry Kaufman |
| Roxborough Intermediate – Kids Across Colorado | ||
| Challenge:Brand Aid,Middle Level | Team Managers: Nicole Churchill Jones,Theresa Shark | Team Members: Bailey Churchill Jones (Ranch View MS), Rachael Chittum (STEM), Hunter Churchill Jones (Roxborough Intermediate), Josh Shark (Roxborough Intermediate), Jared Midavaine (STEM), Rachael Midavaine (STEM) |
| Sagewood Middle School – Dumpster Divas | ||
| Challenge: Creature Feature, Middle Level | Team Managers: Virginia Angus and Staci Teague | Team Members: Riley Teague, Kayanna Larson, Eleanor Adele Angus, Kamryn Cahill, Avery Ciccarone, Oliva Pfister |
| Sagewood Middle School – The Weird Sisters and One Groovy Dude | ||
| Challenge: Making Waves, Middle Level | Team Manager: Virginia Angus | Team Members:Olivia Angus, Gabriela Gonzalez, Alexandria McKelvy, Emily Kaemmerling |
| SkyView Academy – Fluffy the Flat Personality Dog Who’s Eye Fell Out | ||
| Challenge: Making Waves, Middle Level | Team Manager: Danell Estrada | Team Members:Kyle Lucas, Theodore Estrada, Caitlin Wieland and Natalie Carlson |
| The SkyView Academy team also earned a Renaissance Award for their outstanding performance in the Instant Challenge part of the competition. | ||
| Stone Mountain Elementary – The Crazy-Monkey Eating Bananas | ||
| Challenge:Lose to Win, Elementary Level | Team Managers:Stefani Hoery, Kim Rodio | Team Members: Ashley Hoery, Ashley Rodio, Zach Bowen, Andrew Sandwisch, Zach O’Reilly, Katie McGrath and Sydney Hennessee |
| Stone Mountain Elementary – Seven CLEBBEN | ||
| Challenge: Feary Tales, Elementary Level | Team Managers: Ann Thomas, Kyla Koontz | Team Members: Nate Thomas, Ethan Duncan, Emily Koontz, Cayley Swaim, Lauren Anderson, Brady Johnson and Brennan Baker |
| Stone Mountain Elementary – Sonic Space Bacon | ||
| Challenge: Making Waves, Elementary Level | Team Managers: Johnny McGrath Jeannette Allen | Team Members: Ryan McGrath, Andrew Allen, Nicholas Benak, Rowan Brady, Isabella Hall, Mitchell Rodio, Ryan Cosgrove |
| Stone Mountain Elementary – Zero Gravity | ||
| Challenge: Creature Feature, Elementary Level | Team Managers: Shanon Lindstrom, Jill Myers, Greg Lose | Team Members: Andrew Hoery, Trevor Hartle, Blake Myers, Aubrie Lose, Greta Lindstrom, Kale Mahoney and Ekin Apaydin |