Donnelsville Team Prepares for Destination Imagination

Donnelsville Elementary is proud to have six highly-motivated and creative students devoting many hours to creative problem-solving. This year our PTO has sponsored a team of third graders to compete in the area Destination Imagination creative problem-solving competition on March 18, which will be held at West Milton schools. The students had several problems to choose from and decided to pick the fine arts challenge titled ‘Vanished.’

Students participating are Brycen Dixon, Maila Snyder, Paige Scott, Hailey Spencer, Tatianna Peck and Sara Kottmyer. The team is coached by Lahela Snyder (Gifted Intervention Specialist/teacher) and Danny Kottmyer (parent volunteer).

The students are enjoying the problem-based approach to this challenge and the ability to add elements that are meaningful to each of them as they work together as a team. The main challenge (Vanished) requires the students to research colors and their meanings and then compose a script about a color that disappears and what the effect would be to a person, group or the world.

The students are currently preparing to make their set and deepen their script dialogue. The scene will be set in a museum of fine art, and the story stars a Messy Artist, five famously red statues that come to life, and one humorous security guard. In addition to the vanishing act which must take place, the students are also challenged to learn about stage elements and have to create a technical theatre element. All of the problem-solving is student led, crafted and completed, with no assistance from parents, coaches or other students is allowed. These students have to find ways to problem solve from picking the correct kind of paint to use on a variety of materials to how to sew and use a box cutter.

Currently the students are meeting 3-4 days a week for several hours to prepare for their performance.