West Central DI Competes at State

West Central students competed in STEAM-based challenges that spotlight creativity, innovation, teamwork and collaboration skills at the South Dakota State Destination Imagination Tournament held at Riggs Senior High School in Pierre on Saturday, March 25th.

Four of six West Central teams placed in the top three of their challenge division receiving trophies. In the Fine Arts Challenge “Vanished”, Vert Couleur Genialite, a High School West Central team, competed at the secondary level and placed third. Team members include Maddi Tulin, Abbey Nielsen, Julia Wendell, Kenzie Meister, Allie Kunkel, and Alex Deelstra. Team manager is Vicki Meister. The Magnificient Brotherhood of 7, a West Central 6th grade team, competed in the Structural Challenge “In It Together” at the middle level and placed second. Team members include Levi Pressler, Rylan Haneke, Griffin Stallman, Cody Siemonsma, Gavin Gerlach, Wyatt Nielsen, and James Meyer. Team manager is Angela Nielsen. The 80’s gang, a West Central High School team, placed third in the Scientific Challenge “Top Secret”. Team members include Brian Gray, Scott Howard, Abbey Witt, Emma Hagel, Kaitlyn Schaunaman, and Trinity Miller. Team manager is Amanda Witt. The Wild Creators, a West Central Elementary team, competed in the Technical Challenge “Show and Tech” at the elementary level and placed second. Team members include Angelica Tindall, Sydney Neel, Mason Tindall, Mason Travis, and Madilyn Dinges. Team manager is Jessica Tindall.

Other West Central teams competing at State Tournament include the DI Geek Busters, an elementary team competing in the Technical Challenge “Show and Tech”. This team placed fourth out of six teams. Team members include Matthew Ruda, Mara Schultz, Lilly Goehring, Andie Ingalls, Kalista Uehling, Josh Sosa, and Benjamin DeBerg. Team manager is Brenda Sosa. A West Central Middle School team called the DIY’s placed fourth out of five teams in the Technical Challenge at the Middle Level. Team members include Jasmyn Fonder, Abigail Fraas, Noah Pressler, Zander Canfield, and Josephine Dinges. Team manager is LeAnn Fraas.

Destination Imagination is a fun, hands-on system of learning that fosters students’ creativity, courage and curiosity through open-ended academic Challenges in the fields of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) as well as service learning. Our participants learn patience, flexibility, persistence, ethics, respect for others and their ideas, and the collaborative problem solving process.