Sulphur Springs Middle School will be well represented at the State Destination Imagination Contest April 3-4. Overall, SSMS came home from the regional DI contest in Mesquite Feb. 22 with six teams earning first and second place honors, five of which qualify to compete at state, and four earned special recognition as well.
“SSMS had a great weekend at the East Region Tournament in Mesquite. The Technical, Scientific, Fine Arts, Improv and Engineering are all advancing State which is April 3-4,” said teacher Brooke Howard.
Technical Challenge
The Technical Team consisting of Annalissa Tanton, Catherine Starzyk, Kody Barclay, Aspen Mayhew, Lucy McKenzie, Kannon Gibson and Mac McCoy won first place and High IC. The students also earned a DaVinci Award. Coaches for this team are Brooke Howard and Clay Hansford.
For the Technical challenge, students must complete tasks using engineering, research, strategic planning and related skills. This year’s theme is “The Big Fix” Each team it challenged to:
- Design and build an invention.
- Create and present a story about how a problem is solved with the use of the invention.
- Integrate an invention artifact to highlight the development process.
- Design and build scenery that shows the impact of solving the problem.
- Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas
- of strength, and talents.
DaVinci Awards are named in honor of one of humanity’s greatest creative thinkers, Leonardo Da Vinci. They are awarded by DI to individuals and teams who most clearly demonstrate the spirit of adventurous risk in their solutions
Scientific Challenge
The Scientific Team consisting of Carter Charlton, Kami White, Aiden Riley, Brody Emmert, Nathan Bilyew, Jocelyn Arenas, and Abbey Williams won first place and earned a Davinci Award as well. Coaches for this team are Bryan Cole and Gerson Salvatoreh.
The 2019-2020 Scientific Challenge blends the curiosity of scientific research with the creative expression of performance art. The theme is “First Encounter.” Each team is challenged to:
- Research a real species and a real habitat.
- Create and present a story about the first encounter between the species and the habitat.
- Show how the species and the habitat change as a result of the encounter.
- Present the story in theater in the round.
- Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Fine Arts Challenge
The Fine Arts Team made up of Lorelai Lilley, Jordan VanWinkle, Giovanni Hernandez, Barrett Thesing, Alyson Thomas, Anniston Price, and Brooks Burgin won first place and High IC. Coaches are Adrienne Lilley and Beth Cole.
The Fine Arts Challenge helps students develop acting and creative skills through artistic media, theater arts, script writing, and prop design. The t theme is “Picture This.”
Teams are challenged to:
- Create and present a story that features an unseen character and its impact on a team-selected photograph.
- Theatrically recreate the photograph during the Presentation.
- Create and present a visual effect that includes a photographic technique.
- Show how the visual effect changes the perspective of one or more characters.
- Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strenth, and talents.
Engineering Challenge
The Engineering Team composed of Lane Hunt, Gracelynn Johnson, Emmy Penny, Ben Brown, Levi Caton, Justin Chen, and Sienna Posey won first place and a DaVinci award. Team coaches include Jamilyn Hunt, Rachael Johnson, and Ryan Watt.
The Engineering Challenge asks students to design, build, and test load-bearing structures created from specific materials. The theme is “In The Cards.”
Teams are challenged to:
- Design and build a bridge that will be assembled during the Presentation.
- Move weight across the bridge to test its strength.
- Create and present a story about an unexpected connection and its outcome.
- Design and create a set piece that transitions between settings.
- Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off your team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Improv Team
The Improv Team made up of Jolene Reed, Asia Chen, Logan McCain, Katie Henderson, Crawford Johnson, Gage Williams and Rhett Williams finished in second place. Jeffery Denton is the team coach
The Improvisational Challenge is all about research, spontaneity, and storytelling. Teams receive topics and produce skits right on the spot. The 2019-20 them is “To The Rescue.”
Teams are challenged to:
- Research superpowers and how they are portrayed in comic books, literature, film, and other media.
- Create and present an improvisational skit about a villain who uses a superpower to cause an unexpected situation.
- Include a hero who uses an underwhelming power to try to overcome the unexpected situation.
- Enhance the skit with sound effects.
Service Learning
The SSMS Service Learning Team consisting of Alexis Villarino, Kate Hurley, Katelyn Noe, Jessie Li, Kylie Brice, Claire Monk, and Cambria Jiminez also finished second place. Hollie Watson is the team coach.
The Service Learning Challenge is designed to engage students in public service that addresses real-life community issues. The 2019-20 theme is “It’s About Time.”
Teams are challenged to:
- Identify, design, carry out, and evaluate a project that addresses a need in a real community.
- Create and present a story that shows at least one character in a race against time.
- Integrate information about the project into the story.
- Design and build a device that represents time and highlights milestones from the project.
- Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off your team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
