Welcome to MA
Destination
ImagiNation
®
Appraiser Training
© 2009 Masschusetts Destination ImagiNation
MADI Appraiser 101
Session 101
What is Destination ImagiNation® and why is your
role so important?
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Goals
Massachusetts program
What we teach
Program structure
Tournaments & Appraisers
Special awards
The Team Challenges
for this year (2013-2014)
Who we are, why we do it, and why tournaments are so fun!
®
Destination ImagiNation is . . .
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The “Flagship” program sponsored by Destination
ImagiNation, Inc., a 28 year-old non-profit 501(c)3
corporation
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the largest kid-powered & team-driven creative
problem-solving program in the world!
© Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2004
...in which the kids have fun, and learn without realizing it!
www.madikids.org
 A school & community-based program run by
volunteers for over 30 years in Mass.
 One of the top 4 DI programs worldwide
 400 schools, over 800 teams statewide
 9 regions
 MADI™ helps train over
1,400 team managers
800 tournament officials
 Largest Affiliate DI
college scholarship
program in the USA
Destination ImagiNation® teaches...
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Creativity
Creative problem-solving skills
Teamwork to solve Challenges both
sustained and impromptu
• No single answer, open-ended
Challenges
• Balance time, budget, ideas
Performance and Improvisational skills
Creative use of materials
All in a supportive environment where
all ideas are team-generated so that team
members have ownership of the solution.
© Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2004
Total Team-generated Solution without adult “interference”
Destination ImagiNation® Program Structure
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Teams form of 5-7 participants
They learn the Creative Problem Solving
process and tools to help them as a team
solve a Team Challenge over a sustained
amount of time, as well as practice the
application of the skills in impromptu
challenges called Instant Challenges
Culmination of their work is showcased at
Destination ImagiNation® tournaments
Local, Regional and Affiliate Tournaments,
and Destination ImagiNation, Inc. Global Finals
What they learn on this journey
are the tangible rewards of the program!
© Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2004
Tournaments are incredible expositions of the teams’creativity
Destination ImagiNation
Tournament Day
®
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A constant buzz of activity
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Team solution presentations going on in
parallel at different Team Challenge sites
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Teams doing on-the-spot challenges at the
Instant Challenge site
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Scores being constantly delivered to the score
room
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Final awards ceremony at the end of the day
Purposes of the Tournament
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Opportunity to present their unique solution
and to be appreciated for the creativity they
demonstrate in front of their peers, parents,
supporters and YOU (they’ve worked all year
long for these few minutes)
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Second and less important, to award points to
identify the teams that have solved the
challenges and showed creativity
Volunteer Appraisers make a tournament possible for the kids!
The Role of the Appraiser
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To award as many points as possible for what a team does
Nominate outstanding teams for special awards
Show genuine appreciation of the teams’ efforts by
listening and asking (give stickies)
It’s OK to laugh and applaud
Issuing deductions only when absolutely warranted
With training, all teams will receive equal treatment
Special Awards
 DaVinci Award
For outstanding creativity.
 Spirit of Discovery &
Imagination Award
For spirit, sportsmanship, volunteerism,
teamwork
 Renaissance Award
For outstanding design, engineering,
execution or performance
Important Note
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You must give equal and undivided attention
to each and every team. If you have a child
or friend in another challenge you will not be
able to leave your venue to watch their
performance.
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If you have a child or friend in this challenge,
you should not be appraising this challenge.
To a small child an Appraiser
can seem so intimidating......so..
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We wear crazy hats for a fun atmosphere
And don’t forget to smile
TECHNICAL
TEAM CHALLENGES
Technical Challenge prompts students to
complete tasks by using engineering,
research, strategic planning and related
skills
Equipment to detect objects in hiding places
Equipment to take the objects out of hiding
 Move objects across finish line
Story about a technology that detects things a
human cannot sense without help
Create & present 2 Team Choice Elements
SCIENTIFIC
TEAM CHALLENGES
Scientific Challenge blends research and
curiosity of science with the thrill &
creativity of theater arts
Learn about extreme environment
Characters who attempt to adapt to extreme
conditions in order to survive
Extreme gear that is demonstrated
Design & create a depiction of the extreme
environment.
Create & present 2 Team Choice Elements
STRUCTURAL
TEAM CHALLENGES
Structural Challenge asks teams to design,
build and test load-bearing structures out
of specific materials
Structure tested against two forces
 Prop assembled during presentation
Prop parts fit completely inside a box
Story in which tension is a threat to stability and
is overcome
Create & present 2 Team Choice Elements
FINE ARTS
TEAM CHALLENGES
In the Fine Arts Challenge, students flex
their acting and artistic muscles as they
explore fascinating works of literature
and media
Research work of art by a foreign-born artist
Theatrically present a comic strip based on art
Create 3 live comic strip panels
Create an ARTifact that is inspired by art
Design and create a caption contraption for one
of the comic strip panels.
Create & present 2 Team Choice Elements
IMPROVISATIONAL
TEAM CHALLENGES
Improvisational Challenge is all about
spontaneity & story-telling. Teams receive
topics & produce skits right on the spot.
Create an original 5-minute improvisational skit
Develop interaction between a character from
the past and a contemporary character
Show how those characters work, using the time
period, their occupations and skills, to deal with
pandemonium
Use stage makeup to create, develop, and/or
enhance one skit character
SERVICE LEARNING
TEAM CHALLENGES
The Service Learning Challenge is designed
to engage students in community service to
address real community issues through
personal expression.
Identify and select real community need
Carry out a project that addresses the need
Use play to meet the goal(s) of the project
Use a team-created elevator pitch that can be used
to enlist at least one community partner.
Create a live presentation that features the project
Create and present two Team Choice Elements
EARLY
LEARNING
Rising Stars! is a Challenge created for early
TEAM CHALLENGES
learners. To solve the Challenge, 4- to 7year-old children work together on
performances complete with characters,
props and scripts
Create your own circus
Learn about circuses & the role of the ringmaster
Learn about balancing things
Learn about geometric shapes
Explore how your team works together to make
decisions about the 3 acts of your circus
You will See and Appraise their
Creations that required many skills
WOOD-WORKING
SEWING
MAKE-UP
• Team work
• Cooperation
• Collaboration
• Time management
• Communication
PLASTERING
MECHANICAL
Many skills are required for some of these elaborate creations
Next Session
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Instant Challenge Appraisers
->
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Rising Stars: …Circus…. Appraisers
->
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Cafeteria
Media Center
Challenge, Prep, ATO Appraisers stay in
auditorium