We’re Headed to Global Finals to Represent Minnesota!
State Tournament Excitement for Destination ImagiNation Participants 

Chaska High School was the place to be on Saturday, April 19 for 150 Destination ImagiNation (DI) teams from around the state.  After winning their respective regional tournaments, these teams vied for another top placing earning them the invitation to DI Global Finals in Knoxville, TN May 21-24 at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville - Where they will compete against teams from all 50 states and more than 15 countries.

Delano sent three teams to the state tournament.  “Twice the Spice” included six, fourth-grade girls loaded with spunk, enthusiasm, and talent.  Their hard work this DI season, along with team managers Sherri Field and Cheryl Gielau, earned them a fourth-place finish.

Seven petite ladies known as the “BIG boyz” excited the appraisers and audience members with a fast-paced racecar zooming around a track filled with obstacles.  Add to this the fact that the ladies designed and built not only the track, but the car and the obstacles too. Occurring simultaneously as the racing car was a skit written by the girls that including props, special effects, and amazing optical illusions.

Working since August to solve their chosen challenge paid off in a big way for this team as they were chosen as first place winners!  Managed by Jeff Harris, the “BIG boyz” will be escorted to Knoxville in five weeks to match vehicles of other teams from around the world.  The Minnesota DI appraisers further honored this team with a Renaissance Award for the design and construction of their props and set.  The appraisers’ comments read, “We were impressed with the cohesive efforts this team exhibited in the design and construction of their props and set. We enjoyed the humor of the outhouse exploding, actors being cut in half and disappearing, and elephants doing their business on stage.”

The third Delano team to perform at the tournament included five juniors who showed their DI expertise and outstanding talent.  They chose the name “If Walls Could Talk” because the theme of their skit reminded us of the memories we have from the past and how valuable they are.  This team’s set was a large box with a person inside.  As each side of the box faced the audience, the side was opened to reveal a small section of their family home.  The person inside then became an active part of the wall that spoke and told about a favorite family memory.  Active wall pieces included a talking mirror, mask, clock, and fireplace. 

If these set pieces sound amazing, they were, not only to the audience, but to the appraisers as well as they awarded this team a Renaissance Award.  Comments from the appraisers stated, “This team’s set was skillfully built, ingeniously designed, amazingly compact, and aesthetically beautiful.”  Adding to the excitement of this award, “If Walls Could Talk” came in first place and will be attending Global Finals in May.  Scott Dallmann manages this team.

Another Delano student, 8^th grader Alex Harris (third from left in photo), competed with a DI team based in Orono—a team she joined in 2^nd grade. Alex’s team also won first place in their challenge and are heading to Globals to represent Minnesota.

Both of the Delano and Orono DI girls won a Minnesota DI Shooting Star Award for their many volunteer hours helping out with other regional tournaments setting up and score-running, and for their extraordinary teamwork, devotion, and dedication to MN DI! 

To learn more about Delano DI or to help sponsor these teams to get them to the Global tournament (cost is about $1200 per member), visit www.delanodi.org or call Nancy Stellrecht, Delano DI Coordinator, 763-972-3254.

Shayla Dallmann
Izzy Crowley
Jesse Church
Charlie Gallagher
Erin Nolan

Team: Big boyz,
6^th grade – 1^st Place

Ellen Soderberg
Amanda Gielau
Miki Harris
Haley Winterhalter
Amelia Sutherland
Addie Taylor
Anna Elsen