Worcester Prep students take part in Destination Imagination
Worcester Prep middle school teacher Keith Geiger started a Destination Imagination after-school club in which participants focus on project-based challenges that promote critical thinking, creativity and teamwork. Two teams of sixth- and seventh-graders were formed, one competitive and one noncompetitive.
The seven students on the competition team placed fifth in their first DI tournament, held March 9 in Salisbury, Md. “I am so proud of these kids. Destination Imagination was a great learning experience, and everyone had a fantastic time,” said Geiger. “We are hoping to have more than one competition team next year, with the goal of making it to the state competition.”
Both teams chose a challenge and worked throughout the year to complete it.
The competition team’s challenge involved writing a skit told from two different perspectives, based on a game. The group chose Battleship, and created the skit, and all the props, which included six replica Battleship boats. One of the boats had a cannon capable of moving in two directions using hydraulic pumps created from simple plastic syringes, tubes and water.
The noncompetitive team chose a different project that included creating a flying device that dropped payloads onto targets, as well as a group performance that incorporated the drops. Team members performed for parents and teachers at their final meeting.
