Meeker DI teams advance in tourney

MEEKER I Nine Meeker teams competed at the Regional Destination Imagination Tournament on March 23 in Palisade. The problem-solving teams have been working since November to solve their challenge while practicing thinking “on their feet” for their instant challenges.
Five of the teams placed high enough to progress to the state tournament in April. Meeker had two teams present in the non-competitive Rising Stars challenge, designed to get young students excited about Destination Imagination (DI) in the future.
The Team of Art of Oliver Holmes, Allison Kobald, Opal Munger, Gabe Smithers, Abbi Schwartz, Elliot Steinacher, TM Heather Sauls and TM Lisa Belmonte and Wonderland, made up of Bella Blazon, Brendan Clatterbaugh, Micah Crowe, Adrianna Price, Allie Sanders, TM Natosha Clatterbaugh and TM Janae Sanders, presented plays about Roy G. Biv, with The Team of Art receiving a Renaissance Award for its creative use of props in their instant challenge.
Three Meeker teams competed in Challenge A: In the Zone had to engineer cars with at least three different power sources that would travel specific distances landing in zones for points. The Party of Seven (Gracie Bradfield, Kale Burke, Pake Burke, Charlie Day, Kassie Luce, Krissie Luce, Kenzie Turner, TM Marnell Bradfield, TM Travis Day) placed first in the middle school division. The Super Silly Jelly Beans (Ruby Holliday, Caden Franklin, Brealyn Garcia, Elijah LeBlanc, Melayni Wangnild, TM Amber Garcia, TM Kelly LeBlanc) placed first and the DI Devils (Kirsten Brown, Matilda Brown, Elijah Deming, Brandon Lozano, Derek Neilsen, Karlee Neilsen, Ridge Williams, TM Meredith Deming, TM Briana Williams) placed third in the elementary division.
In Challenge B: Wind Visible, teams must explore wind energy and create kinetic art that moves during the presentation. The Snack Attacks (Lane Anderson, Colby Clatterbaugh, Braydon Garcia, Sophia Goedert, Mason Holliday, Ryan Phelan, Brynlee Williams, TM Shana Holliday, TM Zach Clatterbaugh) placed first in the elementary division.
The 7 Mischievous Saints of Einstein (Zagar Brown, Rainier Foreback, Shane Kobald, Melody Marquette, Regan Mobley, Vitanie Berger, TM Stephanie Kobald, TM Nicole Foreback) competed in Challenge C: In Disguise, where they used non-verbal theatrical techniques to present a story that had to include a morphing mask. The team placed fourth.
In Challenge E: Twist-O-Rama, the 7 Swinging Hammers (Connor Blunt, Hadley Franklin, Porter Hossack, Tatumn Kennedy, Aspen Merrifield, Colton Neilsen, Kelton Turner, TM Kellie Turner, TM Hallie Blunt) created a structure that held weight and withstood torque-inducing impacts, placing first in the elementary division.
Finally, the Thinkadinks (Annelise Amack, Makenna Burke, Kolbi Franklin, Addie Joy, Jeniffer Kincher, Cole Rogers, Tevin Pelloni, TM Margie Joy, TM Shelly Rogers) participated in Project Outreach: Real to Reel, placing first with their movie about their community outreach project.