FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2011
For more information contact
Valerie Terando
Ames Community Schools
515.268.6651
valerie.terando@ames.k12.ia.us
AMES— After months of hard work and a dedication to be the very best, three teams from the Ames Community School District (ACSD) have advanced to the Destination Imagination (DI) Global Finals in Knoxville, Tennessee. Two Ames Middle School teams and one team from Meeker Elementary advanced to Global Finals after being awarded first place at the State Competition in Ames April 9. DI team members will join other elite groups of students May 25-28, for a chance to be named international champions.
According to one of the Meeker coaches, Jeanne Wiebke, “DI is an extracurricular program that promotes the teaching of creativity, problem-solving and team work.” Each of the teams has been working independently on their DI challenge since December 2010. The Meeker team and AMS Team A both chose the challenge “Unidentified Moving Object,” an engineering-based challenge that requires the teams to design and build equipment to move various materials to and from towering heights without use of AC electrical power.
Wiebke continued, “All items used in the production of their equipment had to begin and end the presentation contained in a 20-inch square storage box. The students also had to create and present a sales promotion highlighting the features of their equipment, all within an eight- minute time limit.” The second AMS team qualified in Project Outreach. Project Outreach has two distinct portions: the team must design and carry out a Project to address a real community need and integrate a social network and showcases their Project with an Album and a Presentation.
While in Knoxville, students will be competing in the team challenge and an “instant challenge.” Team members will also have the opportunity to attend educational classes on creative problem solving and will be meeting students from other DI teams from around the country and the world. DI reaches over 100,000 students per year from over 30 countries. More than 1,000 teams and 14,000 people from around the world will be in Knoxville for the finals.
Presently all three teams are working on fundraising to help defray the costs associated with competing on an international level. The three teams will need to raise an estimated $10,000 to $12,000 to offset travel expenses. A Holub’s plant sale fundraiser is underway, as are several restaurant fundraisers. According to Wiebke, other fundraisers are being planned.
Team members include from Meeker Elementary: Devin VonQuerner, Jacob Wiebke, Hannah Huang, SeungHyun Chae, Roma Baranov and Jack Boman. The Ames Middle School team consists of Aaron Lewis, Justin Swenson, Andrew Wiebke, Chase Wingate, Galen Thornberg, and Martin Chamberlin for Unidentified Moving Object. Project Outreach members Sara Azher, Brittany Flowerday and Joanna McKinnon have been working with the Ames Animal Shelter in the areas of animal abuse and neglect.
To donate to the teams, or for questions regarding the fundraising efforts, please contact Jeanne Wiebke at cjwiebke@netins.net or 515.232.1164.
For follow-up stories or photo ops, please contact Valerie Terando at valerie.terando@ames.k12.ia.us or 515.268.6651.
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