Griffin sending 4 teams to global DI contest
Twenty-five Griffin Elementary pupils know how to creatively solve problems in science, technology, engineering, the arts and math.
For their efforts, four Destination Imagination teams from the school advance to global competition May 25-28 in Knoxville, Tennessee, after successfully competing at the state level in Anna on April 1-2. Winning first place were Creative DI Cookies, DI Champions and the Six Benz, which also won the DaVinci Award for creativity. The Salsa Balsa team advances after placing third at state.
Nancy Hess, Griffin’s faculty DI sponsor and gifted-and-talented teacher, said Griffin had a team of fifth-grade girls advance to globals five years ago.
The educational nonprofit Destination Imagination Inc. develops project-based learning programs using science, technology, engineering and mathematics education along with the arts and social entrepreneurship.
Griffin Elementary pupils have participated in DI since the school opened 10 years ago, said Hess, who explained that DI each year presents six challenges for students to work on. Challenges this year include designing a vehicle to be ridden by a student in two different ways without it being pushed and studying camouflage in nature and then creating a skit around a camouflaged creature.
“I knew I had four very strong teams going into the state tournament,” Hess said. “I knew what their capabilities were. They had done a good job creatively solving the problems. They had very creative props and scenery. I watched all their performances and they had done really well. I was most surprised that three ended up being in first place.”
Hess hosts DI informational meetings at the start of the school year for parents to attend. Students then express an interest in which of the challenges they want to work on. Teams are formed with the number dependent upon having enough team managers, who are parent volunteers. Work on the challenges is apart from the school day and not during school time, explained Hess.
Destination Imagination also presents an instant challenge during competitions. Hess meets with the students 30 to 40 minutes before the start of school to prepare for the instant challenges, while team managers work on the central challenge with the students. Because the teams have been working since late September/early October, Hess encouraged them to take a break for a couple of weeks before the global competition.
The practice regimen will remain the same. “If they’ve done well enough to get this far, why change it,” Hess said.
During one-day regional and state competitions, students compete in groups of up to 22 teams. At the global competition, teams compete against all teams in their grade category, said Hess. According to the DI website, the global finals involve more than 8,000 students, 1,400 teams and 15 countries. Eight teams will represent the Katy Independent School District.
“To me,” said Hess, “what it does is strengthens their ability to critically and creatively problem-solve by giving them an open-ended challenge that they have to solve themselves. Managers are not supposed to help with solutions. It gives them a chance to show creativity with props and scenery.”
DI meshes with cornerstones established in the Katy ISD that include learning to think critically and to collaborate, she said. “We get them ready for the future,” said Hess, learning skills they’ll need as long as they are alive.
Golbow Elementary hosts health, safety fair
For the second consecutive year, Golbow Elementary hosted a health and safety fair.
“We’re very satisfied with the information and organizations that came out,” said Jeff Carrus, assistant principal. “They did an amazing job — a lot of interactive booths and a lot of great information.
“As far as turnout goes from the community, we did have more people last year. We always hope for more.” He estimated more than 100 people attended.
The goal of the April 2 event was to present a variety of health, wellness and safety-related topics and also include information on summer programs for students, he said. “We like to keep them active in the summer.”
In talking with students after the event, Carrus said the members of Harris County Emergency Services District 48 Fire Department made an impression with their effort and enthusiasm.
Lt. Simon VanDyk said the department brought its Engine 3, Medic 4 and Booster 5 to the school.
VanDyk said in a news release that students were able to tour the vehicles and watch and even participate in demonstrations of how public safety equipment functions.
“They tried on bunker gear (heavy protective clothing) on Engine 3 and looked on as the loading system on Medic 4 raised and lowered a stretcher into and out of the back of the ambulance. Booster 5 (a fire truck with off-road capabilities) demonstrated its built in bumper nozzles and students were even given the chance to try out a real fire hose,” said VanDyk.
Other participants included Texas Children’s Hospital, Children’s Lighthouse, Times Square Entertainment, Gulf Coast Blood Center, Sprouts, Typhoon Texas, Katy Emergency, Sphier Emergency Room, Vita Dental and the Katy Family YMCA.
“We just really put an emphasis on getting the community involved in school,” said Carrus. “We appreciate all businesses that came out. Everyone had a great time.”
Math competition to benefit foundation
A May 7 MathStars Competition will award prizes to students in grades 2-8 and their teachers with proceeds earmarked for Fort Bend Education Foundation.
Star Learning Katy, 5300 Ranch Point Drive, Katy, and Goddard Schools of Cinco Ranch are sponsoring the gradelevel contest. Register by May 5 to receive a $5 discount. Registration at the door is $20 starting at 9 a.m. People may register at Star Learning’s Katy branch or at 3528 Texas 6 in Sugar Land, starlearning.com or by calling 832913-6185.