I came to this program as a parent, and I was blown away by the level of creativity I saw demonstrated by school kids -- and not necessarily the most gifted and talented students. What I saw was great teamwork, wildly imaginative (and often humorous) presentations, and ingenious solutions to a challenge. The same challenge was solved in so many different ways by the different teams -- a true demonstration of divergent thinking. I appreciated the program as a parent, and now, as a board member, I'm so pleased to be able to support the program at the state level. I firmly believe that this program fosters creativity not only in the team members, but also in the teachers and parents who work with the teams. Come to a Destination Imagination tournament and you will never be the same!
Destination Imagination's stated goals are to teach creativity, problem solving, and teamwork. While it does these three things well, what it really does is empower young people. It gives them the confidence needed to try untested solutions to problems, take risks, and bounce back from failures. These are all skills that will serve them well as they progress through school and into the work force.