Let us share with you from alumni, team members and volunteers from around the world.
School-aged children work in teams from 2 to 7 members to solve long-term Challenges and practice Instant Challenges. The most important thing to remember is that this program is student-driven! There is absolutely no outside help allowed on the team's challenge solution. Team Managers are there to supervise, provide resources and teach skills, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. The Team Members generate the ideas, execute the ideas, and plan a performance showcasing their ideas.
The DI season generally begins on September 1, with the release of that season’s Challenges, and ends with the Florida Tournament in the spring. Most Team Managers start in the late fall, but some don’t begin until January. The average Team Manager meets once a week for 2 to 3 hours, and as the tournament approaches the team may decide to add additional practice time. The time requirement may vary by age, challenge chosen, and the competitive ambitions of the team.
Teams placing at the Florida Tournament will advance to Global Finals at the end of May.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Team membership number plus program materials and challenge description. | $110 |
| Team manager background check - required to comply with DI Youth Protection Policy. | $40 |
| Florida Affiliate Fee (covers local affiliate and tournament costs). | $70 |
| Average cost of materials used in solutions and for training (DI emphasizes using inexpensive materials). | $250 |
| Average total cost per patricipant. | $75 - $100 |
We find that this compares favorably to most local sports / activities.
DI relies on volunteers to establish teams in their neighborhood or school.
Many schools and school districts support DI through school coordinators who assist in the formation of teams. DI works differently than most after-school programs; instead of signing up your child through a centralized location, parents interested in DI must form a team and recruit a volunteer team manager. All students may participate in DI as long as they have a Team Manager! There are no try-outs, no ability requirements, just the desire to work with your team to solve Challenges.
Becoming a DI Team Manager can be one of the most rewarding experiences you will have as an adult volunteer. You get to witness the growth of your team and the amazing solutions they develop first hand. Along the way, you learn how to build teams, teach creative problem solving and form lasting relationships with your team members and other adult volunteers.
"Unlike any other organization I’ve come across, I see that DI teaches extremely valuable real-world skills that will give my kids, and the kids on my team a major head-start in life. They don’t get these valuable skills in school and very few other organizations are effective at teaching and encouraging them. More than ever, the engine of our economy is "American Ingenuity" and I want my kids to enter the working world with strong skills in this area. Being part of DI is very satisfying – and worth my time. I’ve developed a much deeper and meaningful relationship with my kids (and other DI team members) through DI. DI has prompted some great "kitchen table" discussions with my kids on very practical real-world issues. It’s also allowed me to play a major increased role in their lives and in their development that I know they value."-Scott Dalgleish
Once you have selected a DI Team Manager, you need to find a team. Teams are formed by finding students that are interested in DI. How do you find these students?
Teams are formed with 2 to 7 students, most often in the same school and grade level. However, ANY 7 students can be a team! You can form teams in your neighborhood, homeschool association, school, or church.
In 2014, Dr. Mark A. Runco, Professor of Educational Psychology for the Torrance Creativity Center at the University of Georgia and Board Member for the Center for Childhood Creativity, completed a study measuring student engagement and creative attitudes and values among students who participate in Destination Imagination and students who do not.
According to the statistically significant results, Destination Imagination students were found to be:
All final challenge solutions are different and individual to the team and to the challenge the team has chosen. But this will give you and idea of what a final solution can look like.
Hear from DI alum how the Destination Imagination program has and continues to effect their lives.
"Without the eight years of Destination Imagination that allowed me to conceptualize and build in a completely raw and creative environment, I don’t believe I’d be accomplishing the things I am today." – Yale Shaw, Industrial Designer
"There are so many elements of DI that I use in my life. As an expat, you are always in a challenging situation. You should be learning a new language, navigating cultural norms, and deciding what food to try. Learning how to problem solve through Destination Imagination has helped me as a traveler because people are dynamic and there is never simply one way to handle an interaction. Teamwork is integral in a culture because each person has their role which keeps the community functioning. Creativity is needed with learning a new language because you’re not fluent so anything goes—words, gestures, sign language, pictures, Google translate, etc. You are always on stage performing; people are watching you even when you don’t realize it. When I travel abroad I represent not only myself, but my family, my country, and my race." – Renee Smith, English Teacher
"The farther I go in my career, the more I understand how those countless hours spent brainstorming, paper macheing, painting and improvising have benefited me. Today, there’s really no challenge in my job that intimidates me. In fact, the bigger the challenge, the bigger the rush I get. I owe that to my DI training." – Kevin Hoban, Producer
If your question isn't answered above, please e-mail us at information@FloridaDI.org and we'll be glad to get you more information.
