For the past few years, teams from Lynwood Avenue Elementary School have been participating in Destination Imagination.

The Destination Imagination program is a fun, hands-on system of learning that fosters students’ creativity, courage and curiosity through open-ended academic challenges in the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), fine arts and service learning. Our participants learn patience, flexibility, persistence, ethics, respect for others and their ideas, and the collaborative problem-solving process. Teams may showcase their solutions at a tournament. The overall vision of Destination Imagination is to develop opportunities that inspire the global community of learners to utilize diverse approaches in applying 21st-century skills and creativity.

This year, Lynwood’s fourth-grade team chose the fine arts challenge, “Change of Tune.” It recently competed at the Global Challenge in Knoxville, Tennessee, and placed No. 33 out of 84 teams from across the world.

Led by Lynwood teacher Cathy Dulovic, for this challenge teams needed to create a two-act musical that would include a change in plans, create and integrate music and lyrics into both acts, create a spectacle that highlights an unforgettable event in the story using two production techniques, integrate a set change that utilizes technical methods, and create and present two team choice elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength and talents.

The Lynwood Tigers told its story with original songs and music as well as humor, rhyme, sound effects and a variety of musical instruments. Utilizing the components of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), the team solved the Destination Imagination Change of Tune Challenge. It created a set change that utilized the technical methods of magnetism and simple machines, and incorporated a spectacle that utilized two production techniques including dance and props. The team choreographed an original dance that combined team-created lasso ribbon rhythmic sticks with baton twirling, handheld instruments and original lyrics that express the characters’ happiness.

The team did extremely well at the regional tournament held on March 10 at Anne M. Dorner Middle School and Claremont Elementary School in Ossining, New York. It finished in first place in its challenge category and had the highest main challenge score and team choice element score. The team advanced to the New York State Affiliate Tournament that was held on April 7 in Binghamton and finished in second place at this state tournament, allowing it to advance to Global Finals.

“During our trip to Global Finals, the team had the opportunity to showcase their challenge solution to a larger, more diverse audience at a global level,” Ms. Dulovic said. “Students also experienced how other students from around the world solved their challenge. There were many opportunities to interact with other cultures through international events, a costume ball (with student-created costumes), as well as pin trading throughout the tournament.” 

Students interacted with teams from countries including Australia, Canada, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea and Turkey, as well as many states throughout the U.S.  

The students were extremely excited to explore, learn from and communicate with students from other countries.

In addition, all Global Finals participants were provided with ongoing opportunities to learn new skills, hear from industry experts, participate in a variety of creative, STEAM-based activities and attend a variety of workshops and expos that foster imagination, creativity and teamwork. 
“It was an amazing experience for all!” Ms. Dulovic said.