Charles County Public Schools Destination Imagination teams delivered strong performances at the Maryland state tournament held March 14 at the University of Maryland Baltimore County in Baltimore.
Thirty-three Charles County teams advanced to the state event after placing among the top finishers in their challenge areas at the Blue Crab regional tournament last month at North Point High School in Charles County. Fifty-two teams from the region participated in the regional competition.
Teams competed in six challenge categories that test creativity, problem-solving, teamwork and critical-thinking skills: technical, scientific, fine arts, improvisational, engineering and service-learning. Students from elementary, middle and secondary levels represented schools across Charles County Public Schools as well as private schools in the area.
Several Charles County teams earned top placements at the state level.
In the Win It Big technical challenge, elementary teams included Billingsley Elementary School’s Billingsley Dazzling Divas in fifth place, Dr. James Craik Elementary School’s Craik Golden Gummy Bear Takedown in sixth place, Arthur Middleton Elementary School’s Middleton The Owlet Games in 12th place, Craik’s Craik Touchdown Tigers in 13th place and Margaret J. Thornton Elementary School’s Thornton Superstars in 15th place.
At the middle level in Win It Big, Milton M. Somers Middle School’s Somers Fantasy 4 the Win took third place and St. Mary’s School Bryantown’s SMB Golden Gamers finished sixth. In the secondary level, La Plata High School’s LPHS Skibidi Sigmas Power of 67 placed second and North Point High School’s NPHS Ringo Ringo Ringo took third.
In the Unforgettable scientific challenge, William A. Diggs Elementary School’s Diggs The Little Einsteins placed sixth and C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School’s Barnhart ES Science Smarties finished eighth.
The Becoming Super fine arts challenge saw strong showings at the elementary level from St. Mary’s School’s SMB Purple Pig Tales in second place, Diggs’ Diggs The Super Girls in fourth place, J.P. Ryon Elementary School’s J.P. Ryon OG Cardinals in 11th place, Craik’s Craik Heros in 12th place, Eva Turner Elementary School’s Turner Imagineroes in 15th place and T.C. Martin’s T.C. Martin Super Stars in 17th place. Somers Middle School’s Somers Magic Makers placed sixth at the middle level.
In the Casting Shadows improvisational challenge, elementary teams included Billingsley Elementary’s Billingsley Imaginators in second place tie, Barnhart ES’s Barnhart ES DI Challengers in fourth place, Gale-Bailey Elementary School’s Gale-Bailey Sigma Lions in fifth place and T.C. Martin’s T.C. Martin Trouble Makers in seventh place. At the secondary level, Henry E. Lackey High School’s Lackey League of Villains took third place.
For the Above and Beyond engineering challenge, St. Mary’s School’s SMB OG Onomatopoeia placed fifth, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School’s Mt. Hope DI Big Brains finished eighth, Diggs’ Diggs The Constructors took 11th and Barnhart ES’s Barnhart ES 41 Goals placed 13th.
In the Give and Take service-learning challenge at the elementary level, Craik’s Craik Yappers earned second place, T.C. Martin’s T.C. Martin Chaos Destroyers took third, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy’s Mt. Hope Beavers Comeback placed fifth and Gale-Bailey’s Gale-Bailey Undertakers finished seventh. At the middle level, Somers’ Somers Fantastic 67s placed second and Piccowaxen Middle School’s Piccowaxen Mayhem Makers took third.
Destination Imagination encourages students to apply imagination and innovation to real-world style challenges while building collaboration and presentation abilities. The program operates at regional, state and global levels.
