Written by Lennon Formaginni, Student Activities Department
As cheers echoed through the Kansas City Convention Center arena, after hearing the third-place team announced, Dream C3 from Daniel Webster Elementary School stood in wonder as thousands of students from around the globe could be heard shouting “Texas!”
Josie Dennis, team manager from Webster Elementary, said she was surprised at how well her team did at Destination Imagination Global Finals, with this being Webster’s first time participating in the competition.
“I still get chills as I reminisce about our Global experience and how our team got to accept the trophy and medals to the incredible sound of thousands of people chanting,” she said. “The experience was the opportunity of a lifetime and one that will always be remembered.”
Dennis said they exceeded expectations when the Dallas ISD team placed in one of the top spots in the improvisational division.
“The kids had their minds set on doing something spectacular,” she said. “I watched in awe as the team members developed complex critical thinking and problem-solving skills.”
The 650 teams from 14 countries represented at the Global Finals worked on project-based challenges that teach students to be innovative problem solvers using Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, as well as collaboration and unique solutions to one of the seven different challenge categories: technical, engineering, scientific, fine arts, improvisational, service learning, and early learning.
This year’s finalists came from multiple states across the nation, as well as Turkey, China, Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, Quebec, Cayman Islands, Poland, Qatar, and Ecuador. South Korea, Indonesia, and Ukraine were also represented among the Globals finalists according to Destination Imagination’s Global Finals website.
Other Dallas ISD finalists earned top spots at the Globals competition. These teams included School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center, placing sixth in the engineering division, and New Tech High School at B.F. Darrell, placing fourth in the fine arts division.
Cristina Guzman, team manager from New Tech High School, said this year’s team outperformed any other team she has managed since her start with DI, three years ago.
“My team’s presentation was the best it has been in all of my years being a team manager,” Guzman said. “So much so, that the team’s presentation score was the highest out of all the teams that competed in our division.”
In each of the seven challenges, the top ten teams are recognized as top performers in the world. Out of the five Dallas ISD teams that participated, three placed within the top spots.
The chart below lists the Dallas ISD teams that qualified for the Global Finals competition:
| School | Team Name | Category |
| Daniel Webster Elementary School | Dream C3 | Improvisational – So Extra |
| New Tech High School at B.F. Darrell | The Dinner Club | Fine Arts – In Motion |
| School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center |
DI Mateys | Engineering – Going the Distance |
| Lakewood Elementary School | Knick Knacks and Artifacts | Scientific – Blast from the Past |
| Kleberg Elementary School | Kleberg Looney Toons | Improvisational – So Extra |
