When improvisational acting, problem solving, prop building, science, math, and some extra creativity are combined, Destination Imagination is born.  Many of you may be wondering what DI is or even how the program works. Well, DI is divided into two separate segments of competition: The Central Challenge and The Instant Challenge.

• The Central Challenge: Teams of up to seven members select one of several complex Challenges to solve, with each having required elements. Teams meet for months, working on solutions to their Challenges by creating scripts, props, costumes, and sets. Teams must create each element of their solution on their own – they can have instruction on general concepts, but everything you see on performance day is designed, written, and constructed solely by team members.
• The Instant Challenge: During months of working on solving their Central Challenge, teams also practice general creative problem-solving skills to solve theatrical, structural, and “hybrid” Instant Challenges (IC’s). IC’s are designed to teach students to think quickly, creatively, and strategically. At tournament, each team is given an IC that they must solve before a panel of judges within a matter of minutes.

On Saturday, February 24th, over 2,000 students from across the region gathered at McMurry University to perform, compete, and show off all their hard work.Wylie ISD’s Destination Imagination program had 11 teams participate in this year’s regional competition. The results are as follows:
Elementary level:
The Smarties from Wylie Intermediate placed sixth in Unlikely Attraction.
The Ninja Narwhals from Wylie Intermediate placed first in Drop Zone. They also tied for sixteenth place in Treasure!.
The Macaroni Maniacs from Wylie Middle School placed third in Change of Tune.
The Pickled Leprechauns from Wylie Middle School placed first in Drop Zone.
Middle Level:
The Metallic Chickens from Wylie Middle School placed first in Unlikely Attraction.
The Random Ducks from Wylie Middle School placed third in Change of Tune.
The Spicy Slothz from Wylie Junior High placed sixth in Unlikely Attraction.
The Screaming Banana Goats from Wylie Junior High placed first in Drop Zone.
The Flying Guacamole Turtles from Wylie Junior High placed sixth in Inside Impact.
Senior Level:
*forced laughter* from Wylie High School placed first in Unlikely Attraction.
Low Sodium from Wylie High School placed first in Change of Tune.

Wylie DI once again had the opportunity to show off its skills, but this time it was in front of the whole state of Texas. On April 7, four of the six teams who had advanced out of regionals placed high enough at state to earn themselves a trip to the global-level competition.

These teams will be headed to Knoxville, Tennessee May 20-26 in order to participate in the world’s largest celebration of student creativity. Every May, more then 1,400 of the top-scoring DI teams from over 15 countries gather at the University of Tennessee to showcase their innovated solutions to the problem(s) that they have been presented with. Wylie is proud to be able to send multiple teams in order to represent not only our school and city, but our state and country as well.