by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WESTMEATH — Five students at Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Westmeath are getting excited as each day in May is marked off the calendar.
Bella Jamieson, Sara Kosowan, Jenna Thoms, Emily Quisma and Kya Ellis-Martin are heading to Knoxville, Tennessee, with chaperones, on May 23. They will be competing in the international Destination Imagination challenge. They earned the opportunity to compete at this international competition after winning similar events in Stittsville and Toronto.
Destination Imagination is an opportunity for students to use their creativity to their highest potential. Explaining what they did, Jenna said they each wrote down on a piece of paper what they thought would be appropriate for a short skit. They then “fused them together.” While not wanting to give anything away since the final competition has yet to be held, the girls’ skit includes a sloth, a lightbulb from a lemon and a black panther.
Kya added that each time they perform their skit, and win, they have an opportunity to perfect it.
Principal Melissa Dubeau noted the students have eight minutes to complete their skit.
The event also included an instant challenge, which means they were given an idea, had 15 minutes to collaborate and then perform it, explained Ms. Dubeau.
“It’s very, very complex,” she added. “It’s like the Olympics of the Mind.”
Now, to get to the international competition, the students need to raise $12,000, Ms. Dubeau said. The school board has agreed to pay the entrance fee for each student. However, there is still the cost for each of the students to travel, and their chaperones.
So far, fundraisers held include two bottle drives, a bake sale and Toonies for Tennessee jars have been placed at the school. As well, they have received sponsorships from community businesses and many donations.
Ms. Dubeau said this is an opportunity for students to get creative and she believes there aren’t even jobs created for these students yet due to their creativity.
They each have their own unique skills, but the one she admires the most is they are willing to work together and accept each other’s ideas, as well as ideas from other people. She noted the students spend hours working on props and figuring out the challenge they want to do, as they can choose from technical, scientific, engineering, fine arts, improv, service learning and early learning.
“They realize they have to start somewhere and they have faith in each other,” Ms. Dubeau said. “This gives them the opportunity to figure out their own strengths, challenges and interests.”
By attending the Destination Imagination event in Tennessee, the girls will also experience a cultural exchange, as there are students coming from around the world. It’s expected there will be about 70 teams at the event, she said, coming from around the world, including China, Switzerland, Spain.
In Stittsville there were 12 teams in their division while in Toronto there were 10. Ms. Dubeau is not sure how many teams will be in the international event division.
Our Lady of Grace Catholic School students have participated in Destination Imagination for the past five years. In 2012, the first year, the Grade 7 team made it to the Stittsville and then then won at the regionals, they were not successful winning in Tennessee. The Junior and Senior Kindergartens participated in the Rising Stars Destination Imagination in Arnprior in 2012.
While in Tennessee, the students will not only compete in Destination Imagination, but participate in various indoor and outdoor events.
When asked how they feel, the girls said – excited, thankful, nervous, energetic and participating in a once in a life-time opportunity.
To cut down on costs, they will be sharing a bus with students from Bishop Smith Catholic High School and Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School, both in Pembroke, who won their divisions as well.
