NEW SHARON — Members of the Talkin’ Travelers, a Destination Imagination team, were given a send-off they probably will never forget as they readied to leave Cape Cod Hill School to compete at Global Finals in Tennessee.

The school was rocking with applause and well wishes as the team of students, manager and assistants walked through the corridors lined with fellow students, their teachers and school staff.

Seven students are one of two teams chosen to carry in the Maine banner at opening ceremonies, student Chelsie Berkey said.

The team raised the $15,000 needed to go on the trip with the help of community members, parents and businesses after they won the state tournament at the middle level. They will compete at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Their presentation at the state level included research on famous artists and stepping into a phone booth they made out of cardboard and “going back in time.”

Students were excited Monday as they ate pizza and cake, chatting as they waited to leave. They had more on their minds than could fit in the 24 hours estimated to get to their destination, including stops and meals.

They expect to be on the chartered bus with other teams from Maine between 17 to 19 hours, teacher and team manager Lynn Wells said.

“We packed up the props on Sunday,” she said.

A parent is driving down and taking the props and other materials with her.

Student Emily Holmes said that they will go river rafting for two hours. They will also go to a movie under the stars, she said.

They will have a four-hour family day and visit the Knoxville Zoo, Emma White and Makayla Gross said.

“We are going to a hotel with a swimming pool instead of sleeping in the dorms,” Katie Holmes said.

Each student was told to bring two books because they plan to do some work as well.

The six girls have made costumes out of duct tape to go to the 3M Duct Tape Costume Ball, student Erin Ladd said.

“They’re trying to set a world record,” she said.

“We are also going to the National Geographic Boot Camp,” student Charlie Eng said. There, he said, they will work on their instant challenge. 

There will be crime-scene investigations, an uncharted safari and swapping of souvenir pins. And, of course, there is the pre-teen after party.

The opening and closing ceremonies will be streamed live on DITV.globalfinals.org from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Katie Holmes said.

Everybody from Maine will wear a red lobster hat during opening and closing ceremonies, Wells said.

dperry@sunjournal.com