After months of collaboration, research and using their creative ideas to problem solve, three Montgomery ISD Destination Imagination (DI) teams are traveling to the state DI competition in Arlington, Texas on March 26.

Oak Hills JH sponsor Wendy Jebousek represented two teams at the Regional competition on February 26. The OHJH Scientific Team, The Naked Eyes, competed in the middle level of the Scientific category, challenged with the task of researching the science of microscopy. They were required to create and present a story of a character who encounters a mysterious object while in the microworld, design and build a scenery that brings the microworld to life and design and create a visual effect that enhances the mysterious object. The Naked Eyes earned a High 1C, 1st place in Instant Challenge, as well as receiving the Renaissance Award and placing 1st in the Scientific Category. Advancing to state from Oak Hills JH is Matthew Fitzgerald, Taylor Spier, Aubrie Shahan, Bethany Gordy, Noelle Potee, Aubrey Clevenger and Dillon Hight.

Lincoln ES sponsor Kristen Watkins represented the DonutMessWithUs! DI team, competing in the Fine Arts Challenge, Tricky Tales. The team of students, consisting of seven 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, planned and worked together to create a story about a trickster who attempts to overcome a Tricky Situation. They were required to include a costume transformation that uses technical methods and an illusion, along with two team choice elements and an instant challenge that gets factored into their overall score.

The team placed 1st out of twenty teams in the Southeast 6 Region and one team member, Stephanie Kaaz, received the DaVinci Award, given to a select few individuals in the entire tournament for their unique approach and outstanding creativity.

“I am so proud of their hard work, dedication and perseverance to complete the challenge and score higher than any other team in the region,” Watkins said. “They are already working to prepare for the state tournament!”

DonutMessWithUs! team members advancing to state are Brinly Fuller, Emery Hird, Eli Allen, Stephanie Kaaz, Cecilia Cole, Brianne Creswell and Pierce Welsh.

The Salty Popcorn team from Madeley Ranch Elementary was represented by Laurel Plunk and Robin Riley and competed in the Improv Festival Friendly Challenge. The students were required to research several specific festivals from around the world. After being told which festival was selected for them, the team had 2 minutes to prepare a storyline that has a goal to go along with the facts of that festival, with no props and only 10 random boxes that must be incorporated in the skit. In addition, the team was given a random “fork in the road” to include in their storyline and all of the performance had to be completed within five minutes.

“This team is a dynamite team full of creativity, dedication and friendship to pull off such a feat in a short amount of time,” Plunk said. “This fast-paced challenge always gets our hearts pumping because of their energy level and we never know what they’re going to perform!”

Placing 1st in the Improv category and advancing to state from Madeley Ranch ES are students Hudson Dellafranco, Kyndal Rodriguez, Kamdyn Small, Stella Sudduth and Elisabeth Wernecke.

Congratulations to these three teams and their campus sponsors on a job well done using their preparation skills and creativity.