Published in the September 23, 2016 edition
![THE MELROSE CHAPTER of Destination Imagination is now taking registrations for K-12 teams and Team Managers for the 2016-2017 tournament season.](https://localheadlinenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Sign-up-for-DI-web-500x500.jpg)
THE MELROSE CHAPTER of Destination Imagination is now taking registrations for K-12 teams and Team Managers for the 2016-2017 tournament season.
MELROSE — The Melrose chapter of Destination Imagination is now taking registrations for K-12 teams and Team Managers for the 2016-2017 tournament season.
Destination Imagination (DI) is seven new standards-based “Challenges” containing elements of STEM, Improv, Visual Arts, Community Service and Early Learning.
Groups of 2-7 kids of work collaboratively over a period of a few months on solutions to that challenge. Teams then present their technical and theatrical solutions at a regional DI tournament in March. Winning teams go on to showcase their work at a State tournament.
“DI gave me a creative environment to express myself and to interact. It led me to a great group of friends and many amazing experiences.”
The hallmark of DI is “no Kids work completely independently on creative ideas and trial-and-error solutions to challenges. Parents do not assist with costumes, props, scripts or ideas.
“Kids aren’t looking to adults and saying ‘should we do this?’ but rather looking to each other and saying ‘OK, how can we do this?’” says Kate Cable Murphy, DI Team Manager from the 2015/16 season. “My favorite thing seeing how proud the kids are because they can look at their creations and know that they alone are the ones who thought of it, designed it and built it. Everything they bring forward is entirely their own.”
Melrose DI will host several free “Improv Nights” for kids and parents to try out the program, ask questions and potentially partner up with other parents and kids interested in forming a DI team for this season. Interested kids and parents are encouraged to attend all to get a full picture of the program.
Sept. 28: try technical building challenges
Oct. 5: try fun improv games to learn team-building and theatrical skills
Oct. 11: parent Q&A, tips for starting a team
6:15 – 7 p.m. for grades K-2: 7-8:15 p.m. for grades 3 and up
Unitarian Universalist Church basement, 70 West Emerson Street, Melrose.
For additional information, and to see previews of this year’s fun challenges, visit www.melrosedi.com, or search “Melrose Destination Imagination” on facebook to visit their page.