GRAY – Twenty-five teams of creative problem-solvers from around Western Maine descended on Gray-New Gloucester High School Saturday, where they performed for the right to compete in the state Destination ImagiNation finals on April 18, in Orono.
Director Patti Sawyer said the day-long event drew roughly 1,200 people to cheer and support the teams who are challenged in creative problem-solving techniques to develop creative and critical thinking skills.
The first-place winners (see results below) will move on to a state meet on April 8 at the University of Maine in Orono where other top teams throughout the state assemble.
Betsy Baird of Norway, a second-year team manager, said the challenges facing the children are wide open for solution. “There is no overarching theme in the six challenges in the celebration.”
“The students do everything: the scenery, costumes, script and the adults can’t help,” says Baird. “And, that builds confidence in self, helping get along with people while developing fast effective solutions as a team. In instant and long-term challenges, you can watch people rise to the challenge,” she said.
Lori Fowler of New Gloucester, a six-year veteran coach said, “They need an adult present, but they don’t need me.” She’s watched the team grow over the years and each year they made first place in the regional event moving on the state meet where they always placed second.
Her son Ethan, a six-time participant is joined by team members Emily Bartlett, a seven-year team member, Hannah Blatchford, second-year, Darren Brown, second-year and Elizabeth Hahnel, sixth-year, Hannah Wurgler, fourth-year and Ben Regan, fourth-year.
Today they are working on a challenge, “Kidz Rulz.” The teams present a story about a place where it is possible to bend one of the Destination ImagiNation rules and where the characters can create their own Kidz Rulz. Kidz Rulz are not natural laws but comments about the way things sometimes seem to happen.
Beth Hayden of Otisfield, a parent of two home-schooled students, Heather, 12, and Heidi, 10, watched for the first time. “Back At You,” is a challenge to send balls back and forth through a roundtrip delivery device. The team was given eight minutes to perform their project that’s been in the works since last fall.
Judges score the performances based on a series of elements which include, among others, technical devices, live demonstration and theatrical sets.
• “Back at you”
Elementary level
1st place: Hartford-Sumner Elementary
2nd place: Western Maine Homeschoolers
3rd place: Elm Street School
Middle level
1st place: Western Maine Homeschoolers
2nd place: Oxford Hills Middle School
3rd place: Tripp Middle School
Secondary level
1st place: Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School
• “How’d tHat Happen”
Elementary level
1st place: Hartford-Sumner Elementary
2nd place: Dunn School
3rd place: Cape Cod Hill School
Secondary level
1st place: Gray-New Gloucester High School
• “Kidz Rulz”
Elementary level
1st place: Dunn School
Middle level
1st place: Oxford Hills Middle School
Secondary level
1st place: Gray New Gloucester High School
• “On Safari”
Middle level
1st place: Gray-New Gloucester Middle School
2nd place: Cape Cod Hill School
3rd place: Tripp Middle School
Secondary level
1st place: Leavitt High School
• “Inside Dimension”
Elementary level
1st place: Dunn School
Middle level
1st place: Tripp Middle School
• Special Awards
Renaissance Awards
Given for showing outstanding design, engineering, execution and performance.
Hartford-Sumner Elementary in How’d tHat Happen.”
Gray-New Gloucester High School in “Kidz Rulz.”
DaVinci Awards
Given for showing outstanding creativity.
Dunn School in “How’d tHat Happen.”
Gray-New Gloucester High School in “Kidz Rulz.”
Gray-New Gloucester Middle School in “On Safari”
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