Destination Imagination

7 Challenges

1. TECHNICAL CHALLENGE OVERVIEW
The Technical Challenge is designed to introduce students to the engineering design process. It enables them to apply real-world STEM concepts towards creating an innovative solution to the challenge. Whether tasked to create a robot, vehicle or any other technical device, students will research and explore how technical objects are constructed, and then work together in teams to innovate their own technical designs. Teams will also explore their creative and artistic abilities by developing an original story, building props and sets, and theatrically presenting their team-created technical designs and story to an audience.

2. SCIENTIFIC CHALLENGE OVERVIEW
The Scientific Challenge is a creative-thinking springboard that blends the research and curiosity of science with the thrill and creativity of theater arts. Students research various subjects in science, as well as technical methods from fields including computer science, physics and mechanical engineering, to create a solution to the Challenge. Students showcase their creativity and artistic abilities by developing an original story, building props and sets, and presenting their solutions to an audience.

3. ENGINEERING CHALLENGE OVERVIEW
The Engineering Challenge allows students to take risks in the world of structural engineering and express their creativity through art and performance. Teams build weight-bearing structures—sometimes using only a designated set of materials such as balsa wood, playing cards and glue. In addition to designing, building and testing the structure, teams work together to write an original story, which includes the structure they created, as well as design props, costumes and set pieces.

4. FINE ARTS CHALLENGE OVERVIEW
As the world becomes more interconnected through technology and creativity, arts education is key to ensuring students’ success in school, careers, and beyond. The Fine Arts Challenge is an opportunity for students to flex their acting and artistic muscles. As they experiment with different types of artistic media and theater arts, teams write scripts, design and create innovative costumes, sets and props, and perform in a front of a live audience.

5. IMPROVISATIONAL CHALLENGE OVERVIEW
Improvisation helps students hone their research, communication and public speaking skills, while also stimulating fast thinking and engagement with ideas. The Improvisational Challenge is all about spontaneity and storytelling. For this Challenge, students work on elements of their solution for weeks, but they can’t be sure what must actually be included in their solutions until they are presenting at the tournament. Several elements they must include in their solution can include anything from; international landmarks to artwork which are randomly selected right before they perform in front of an audience. Teams learn to work together quickly and creatively to produce skits right on the spot.

6. PROJECT OUTREACH CHALLENGE OVERVIEW
The Project Outreach Service Learning Challenge at Destination Imagination empowers youth to make a positive impact on their communities. Students (kindergarten through university) form a team, select a community need and then work together to address that need. Not only do students have fun and learn through Project Outreach, they get to make a difference, locally and globally, while inspiring others to do the same.

7. EARLY LEARNING CHALLENGE OVERVIEW
Early learners (preschool—2nd grade) are naturally curious and can adapt well to learn new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) concepts. By appealing to their natural curiosity and creativity through a fun, hands-on learning environment. Our Rising Stars Challenge allows early learners to experience a range of invaluable concepts simply and effectively. Each year, volunteer educators and industry experts develop a new group of Rising Stars for the Early Learners Challenge. They focus on creating play-based curriculum that allow children to be creative, learn simple building and construction, become comfortable working in teams, and learn how to speak in front of an audience. The Challenge is noncompetitive, which helps ease pressure and lets children play and experiment with their solutions.