POLAND — Two out of six Destination Imagination teams sponsored by the Poland Recreation Department took first place at the Maine State Destination Imagination Celebration at the University of Maine on March 28.

DI is a creative problem-solving program where teams of like-aged students work together over the course of a year to solve a chosen challenge based in the arts, science, math, technology, improvisation or outreach. The program encourages teamwork, creativity and innovation.

Of the four other teams sponsored by Poland Recreation, two came in second place, one placed fourth and the youngest participants were non-competitive.

The two first-place teams are now eligible to represent Maine in May at the Global Finals in Tennessee and compete with students from all over the world.

The high-school team, coached by Ray Levesque, was made up of Bethany Levesque, Whitney Frost, Gabby Smith and Spencer Robinson, all of Mechanic Falls, Trevor Liick and Keileigh Belanger of Lewiston and Hannah Gilbert of New Gloucester.

The team participated in a fine-arts challenge, “Feary Tales,” where they had to create their own eight-minute skit in the style of a fairy tale about a character with a phobia. Their skit focused on a girl who retreats to the Internet when she is bullied, but then becomes a cyber-bully herself.

In addition to placing first in the state, this group also won the DaVinci award, the highest honor given in Destination Imagination, for demonstrating the spirit of adventurous risk in their solutions as well as creativity, originality and courage.

The middle-level team placing first was made up of six students from Elm Street School in Mechanic Falls: Joey Levesque, Ender Ricard, Alyssa McNally, Emily Boenig, Lilly Coltart and Kayla Haggett, coached by Genevieve Ricard.

Their challenge, “Creature Feature,” involved designing and building a creature and using technical methods to make the animal complete three different actions. They were also challenged to set the creature in a world that has two additional technical features and present a story featuring their creature.

Their solution to this problem was presented in documentary style, and they chose to create a chameleon/griffin. Chemistry, physics, hydraulics and chromothermatics were all used within their performance.

The two teams must now raise $15,000 in two months in order to represent our region of Maine on the world stage.

There will be a concert of local bands at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., April 26.  Admission is $10.

Tax deductible donations may be sent to Poland Recreation Dept., 1231 Main St., Poland, Maine, 04274 or donate at http://www.gofundme.com/qbcbdk. More fundraising events will be scheduled.