“I work throughout the school year to organize the teams, to find team managers for those students who are interested in participating, and to help the team managers as they go through the DI season in whatever way I can,” Skudlarek said.
She also meets with the team managers on a monthly basis, answering questions and providing guidelines on how to run their teams.
Skudlarek has 23 years experience doing just that. She’s also the DI regional director and a member of the board that runs the state competitions.
But it’s the kids who she gives the most credit for their success.
“DI rules say that any solution the team uses to solve their challenge must come from the team members themselves,” Skudlarek said. “In addition, any props or costumes the teams create have to be made by the students.”
Destination ImagiNation provides “programs for students to learn and experience creativity, teamwork and problem solving.” Teams work together to solve mind-bending challenges.
Each team is headed by an adult manager, Skudlarek said. They serve as facilitators, finding a place to hold meetings, offer snacks and help find a source of materials for the students to work with.
Skudlarek said her role is very similar to that, too. “I facilitate for the team managers to help them have the tools they need to guide their teams.”
“I just really believe in this program,” she said.
Miamisburg’s results this year:
•Challenge: DI-Bot — Miamisburg High School students learned about robotics and created an original story about how lives are changed by technology. They design and crate a DI-Bot.
Team Managers — Raushanah Uqdah, Cheryl Mathis, Mike and Loann Burke, and Jim and Donna Fontaine
Team Members — Tyler Burke, John Fontaine, Zach Mathis, Betsie Naylor, Greg Pelfrey, Megan Seivert and Raheem Uqdah.
•Awards: State competition - first place; Global competition - fifth place.
• Challenge: You're Gonna Flip! — Miamisburg High School students created a story about how a character experiences a change of point-of view and illustrates it with a puppet.
Team Managers — Raushanah Uqdah, Cheryl Mathis, Mike and Loann Burke, and Jim and Donna Fontaine.
Team members — Tyler Burke, John Fontaine, Zach Mathis, Betsie Naylor, Greg Pelfrey, Megan Seivert and Raheem Uqdah.
• Awards: State competition - first place tie; Global competition — 11th place.
• Challenge: Do or DI —Wantz Middle School students worked on an improvisational challenge, writing a story and performing a skit with their own props.
Team managers — Donna Fontaine and Loann Burke
Team members — Evan Burke, Alissa Cook, Jacob Foster, Austin Jackson, Jon Quackenbush, Ben Roth and Jacob Wesdorp.
• Awards: State competition — first place; Global competition — third place.
• Challenge: Breaking DI News — Miamisburg High School students used a newspaper to design and create a costume. All of their props and scenery had to fit into a defined box.
Team managers — Raushanah Uqdah, Cheryl Mathis, Mike and Loann Burke, and Jim and Donna Fontaine.
Team members — Tyler Burke, John Fontaine, Zach Mathis, Betsie Naylor, Greg Pelfrey, Megan Seivert and Raheem Uqdah.
• Awards: State competition — first place; Global competition — second place.
• Challenge: Breaking DI News — Medlar View Elementary students completed the same challenge as above.
Team Managers — Paige and Scott Farmer and Robin Timpe.
Team Members — Blake Boyd, Kristen Farmer, Gabrielle Gilkison, Collin Rambacher, Carley Sickinger, Kassie Stiltner and Brady Timpe.
• Awards: State competition — first place; Global competition — ninth place.
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