Two teams from Helena Middle School recently took first place honors at the state Destination Imagination Tournament, April 12 at University of Alabama at Huntsville.

Destination Imagination^® (DI) is an exhilarating after-school activity in which students work in teams to solve mind-bending challenges and present their solutions at tournaments.

Teams are tested to think on their feet, work together and devise original solutions that satisfy the requirements of the challenges. Participants gain more than just basic knowledge and skills—they learn to unleash their imaginations and take unique approaches to problem solving.

The program consists of two main elements: the Team Challenge and Instant Challenge.

Team Challenge

Team Challenges are designed to be open-ended and multidisciplinary. Teams spend several weeks or months working on the Team Challenge of their choice, and they present their solutions at Tournaments. Each of the six competitive Team Challenges has a different educational and creative focus:

• Challenge A: Technical/Mechanical Design
• Challenge B: Scientific Exploration and Theater Arts
• Challenge C: Theater, Literature, and Fine Arts
• Challenge D: Improvisation
• Challenge E: Structural/Architectural Design
• projectOUTREACH: Service Learning
• Rising Stars!: Noncompetitive

  Helena Middle School had one team that won first place in Challenge A: Technical/Mechanical Design (Dig In) for a project titled SCATZA.  Another HMS team took first place in Category B: Scientific Exploration and Theater Arts (Going to Extremes) for a project called Kafka, Inc.  HMS also 4th place in that same category for a project called The Nerd Herd.

These two teams will now compete at the National Competition in Knoxville from May 21-24.

“This is only our second year to participate in the program,” said Principal Scott Knight.  “I am very proud of these students and also, Luci Tucker, our GRC teacher.”