Trunkee Trees, a Destination Imagination team made up of students from Mt. Blue high and middle schools in Farmington, is practicing challenges and raising money to go to Global Finals in late May in Knoxville, Tennessee. From left are team members Kaleigh Brissard, Dawson Tolman, Chelsie Berkey, Emma White, Mackenzie Wells and Logan Whitley.

FARMINGTON — The Trunkee Trees Team of students from Mt. Blue high and middle schools are practicing their challenges and raising money to attend the Destination Imagination Global Finals in Knoxville, Tennessee, next month.

The six-member team won first place in its division at the state level in March. They will compete at the Global Finals on May 24-28 at the University of Knoxville.

Each student has to raise $1,200, and a number of activities are planned to reach that goal. That amount does not include anything extra, said team manager Lynn Wells, a middle school math teacher.

Among the challenges the team faces is the Fine Arts Challenge in which they create a story about how the disappearance of a color changes the world.

They had to remove a color using technology. They drew and scanned in pictures of trees with green leaves on a light background. Then they cut a hole in each tree so that each of the three students’ faces could be seen. The tall tree was the leader, and the two smaller trees represented a pun tree and a smart one. Students used technology behind the scenes to change the colors of the leaves.

Team members created a tree costume with dark-colored flowers on one side to represent the dead side and bright fall-colored flowers on the other to represent life. They named it Willow, played by sophomore Dawson Tolman. They also used two cardboard boxes and created a flower on the outside of each one and cut a hole in each so a student’s faces could be seen. The evil flower is Wolfsbane, portrayed by freshman Kaleigh Brissard, and the good one is Sunny, represented by freshman Chelsie Berkey.

The popular trees, Treegina, Elma and Aspen, are portrayed by senior Mackenzie Wells, sophomore Logan Whitley and eighth-grader Emma White, respectively.

Tolman and Wells have been involved in Destination Imagination since fourth grade but have never been to Global Finals, Lynn Wells said.

Among the lessons learned from being involved in Destination Imagination, a problem-solving program, is responsibility.

“I had to learn to be responsible and get my act together,” said White, who is involved in sports and other activities.

White and Berkey have gone to Global Finals twice and Brissard once. It will be Whitley’s first time since he moved into the district two years ago.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

Destination Imagination team fundraisers

Fundraisers to help the Trunkee Trees, a Destination Imagination team made up of students from Mt. Blue high and middle schools, to go to the Global Finals are:

• April 29, 9 a.m. to noon: Car wash at Bouffard’s Furniture, Wilton Road, Farmington;

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