Highland Elementary First And Second Grades Take On Destination Imagination Challenge

Monterey, VA – March and April are big months for Virginia’s Destination Imagination teams. Highland Elementary school has two teams in this year’s state tournament. Members of the first and second graders Rising Stars team call themselves the DI Critters. They performed in the regional tournament at Western Albemarle High School in March.

The team managers this year are Sara Ervin and Betty Rexrode. Sara talks about the Critters.

“They were at the regional tournament and then Destination Imagination of Virginia asked the Rising Stars teams if they would like to come and perform at the state tournament” says Ervin.

She goes on to discuss the challenge for this year’s team.

“Destination Imagination gives them a challenge” says Ervin, “and they have to decide how to solve it. This year they were told their challenge was called Big Bug’s Bad Day’. They had to research bugs and pick a bug to be Big Bug and how his day was going to be bad. And then they had to make up a story of how his day either got better or worse and what his friends did to help him.”

The part of Big Bug was played by First Grader Cayden Roberson.

“I was the Big Bug, which is a Mantis” says Roberson. “I was along looking for food and a Blue Bird came down and took my antenna. Then I went to my friends; first I met the Ladybug, then I met the butterfly, and the caterpillar. Then I met the Japanese beetle, and then I met the spider.”

First Grader Erin Brendel talks about her part in the performance.

“I was a ladybug, and Sadie was my sister” says Brendel.
[Keith] “What did you have to say to Big Bug?”
[Erin] “Would you like some leaves? And we’re dancing ladybugs” she says.

Cayden gives more details about the story and tells how things turned out for Big Bug. He says his friends helped by providing many different food choices.

“The ladybugs offered aphids and leaves, and then the butterfly and caterpillar, milkweed and dandelions” he says. “Then the Japanese beetle offered me a potato, and then the spider offered bugs. The Blue Bird came back and she promised all the bugs that she would never eat insects again.”

Highland’s DI Critters team includes Mary Winters, Erin Brendel, Rachel Amirault, Cayden Roberson, Joshua Earling, Sadie Warner, Marshal Cornelius and Carly Thomas.
Stay tuned for more on the 4th and 5th graders Destination Imagination team.