Destination Imagination

So Sydney is in Destination Imagination, which is a GATE program at her school. Here is what it is all about. Today was their competition. They have different challenges to compete in like building (make something that weighs under 5 lbs with these dimensions, that can hold lots of weight- every lbs is a point), drama , etc. They choose to compete in a challenge called mythology. They spent months learning about the mythology of 6 different countries that they knew about a head of time. So at the competition, they choose a country at random, and are given 3 props. They don't know these before hand, just 5 min ahead. So they are given a country, 3 props, and have 5 min to prepare. Then they have 5 min to perform a skit where they have to drop as many bits of information on the country and its ancient mythology as they can. Points for clarity, plot, use of props, information given, etc. Their name was the DI Ding-Dongs.

This first video is their beginning (ding-dong, ding-dongs are ready), their statement about what country they got, throwing out as much info as they could off the top... the asula period?, samari, and buddism. Go Wyatt and Preston! And laying out the plot of the skit- that they are adventurers who are looking for the Dragon-king (a Japanese mythological creature) so they can take him back to the museum to make lots of money (with a dance).

This next video is a little hard to hear, but she says something about where to find the Dragon-king, and Wyatt scores again with "is that the tallest mountain in Japan?" See how they are supposed to think on their feet and insert info?! Genius. They climb to the top of the mountain and go into a "cave". They worked out in their 5 min who was going to be the "cave" etc. they all remembered their parts and worked together! Then they introduced their props, "Whose Line is it Anyway" style, getting more points for throwing in info about Japan at the same time! A tarp became a yoga mat, a cookie sheet a samari's shield, and a strip of sticky velcro a black belt for martial arts. Awesome. Then they meet the soft spoke Dragon-king who lays out his story. Something about 3 arrows...

The next video shows Sydney and Brianna building a Master-prop with all their props. Extra points! You will see it later. And then - a TWIST!! In the middle of their skit, they have to turn over a card that is placed on the floor, and incorporate whatever is on the card, into their skit. Apparently it said "the wind keeps blowing you backwards". They didn't keep up the wind very long, but good just the same.

The last one shows their master prop (if they combine all the props together into something and use it in the skit, it is extra points) "A Dragon-king Transportinator" and they use it to fly the captured Dragon-king back to the museum. But how do we know that? Because the kids were great about verbalizing what the heck was going on ("What is that?!" and "What does that do?" and "Will it take the Dragon-king to the National Dragon-king Museum?"), for the judges. Good flying, Sydney! Then they put him in the "cage" (Sydney and Lindsey), and talk to the museum curator about the price (5 mil each). At the very end, you can see Lindsey put up her hand to be a plaque that the kids read off of for MORE information about the captured Dragon-king.

Then they did an instant challenge, which we weren't allowed to watch, and apparently that went great because

THEY WON FIRST PLACE!!!

They are going on to the state competition in April!! Hooray for the DI Ding-dongs!