The Destination Imagination (DI) team won first place at state this past weekend. This is the highest place they can achieve in the Extreme DI challenge. Team members are junior Joci Guerra, Nico Champion, Christian Vieira and Elias Martinez, seniors Alan Champion, Kade Ferguson and Brian Omondi.

The Extreme DI challenge varies from regional competition to state competition. Part of the Extreme DI challenge is to receive the objective an hour and a half before the team has to perform.

“We were part of the DI Extreme challenge; it’s something specific to Texas because it doesn’t go on to globals (the level after state for DI). State was as far as we could go,” junior Elias Martinez said. “Basically you get an hour and a half and a bunch of material and then they give you this piece of paper that says what you have to perform and what you have to do.”

The team had to use six simple machines to deliver a high five to another teammate. They also needed to have a skit that went along with it.

“We interpreted high five in three different ways: the regular high-five, we had one of our team members say five in a really high pitched voice, and then we wrote down the number five on a PVC pipe and threw it up in the air,” junior Joci Guerra said. “We were more creative with what high five meant and I think that’s what helped us win first place.”

Last year the team didn’t do as well, but this year they really worked hard and were able to impress not only others but themselves as well.

If you’re interested in starting a DI team, contact Mr. Chris Tarbet in room 307 or visit http://www.destinationimagination.org/ to learn more about the program and its various elements and challenges.

“It was great. It was a great feeling (winning first place), especially because of all the work we put into it,” junior Christian Vieira said. “We got last place last year, and then now we’re on top of the world this year being state champs. It just shows how far this team has come and how much effort we put into it.”