If the words “hydrologic energy cycle” elicit panicked flashbacks of dusty science books and test anxiety, you probably haven”t met the seven Columbus Middle School students who have spent the past year mastering the wet stuff.
Now, they”re taking their knowledge of precipitation, evaporation and condensation to the next level — global.
Wednesday afternoon, Sylvia Collins” eighth grade SPIRIT class was awash with duct tape, styrofoam and excitement as two Destination ImagiNation teams made final tweaks on the skits they will perform next week during global finals at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn.
The innovative, curriculum-based program — known popularly as “DI” — uses team-based challenges to teach creativity, problem-solving and teamwork to students in all 50 states and more than 30 countries.
At the beginning of each academic year, students form seven-member teams from five categories: Engineering, scientific research, architecture and structure, theater and drama, or improvisation. Then, they”re presented with their challenge.
For the scientific research team, the challenge was to research energy cycles in the natural and physical world, then create an original, three-act circular story and present it as an eight-minute skit showcasing the team”s understanding of the subject.
If it sounds complicated, it is. But that”s the beauty of the program, said Collins. This is her 19th team to take to the global finals, and as she watched the students rehearsing after school Wednesday, she beamed with pride.
She said the program is a valuable part of the gifted curriculum, combining hands-on experience, life skills, teamwork and camaraderie into a unique learning opportunity.
“Academics aren”t a challenge for them,” she said. “DI completes the overall education experience of gifted children.”
As the students sat around in a circle following practice, they talked about how close they”ve become as a team and how their participation spills over into not only other classes, but real life as well.
“I really like the whole community of DI,” said Tom Moore Hatcher. “There”s a lot of creative people, and it requires you to approach problems in different ways. You see things you would normally overlook.”
John Neil Stanback agreed, saying teamwork, and learning to cooperate, is critical.
Because part of the program rules forbid telling another team member “no,” they are forced to listen to one another and find ways to offer constructive criticism and feedback, even when they don”t agree.
As a parent, Laurie Hatcher said that aspect of the program alone is a useful life skill, but there are other benefits — chiefly, the blending of a cross-spectrum of knowledge.
“It challenges them to integrate their classes and pull it all together,” she said as she watched them practice. “It”s a great program, because it lets each of them use their strengths.”
The scientific research team — comprised of Joshua Bridges, Tom Moore Hatcher, Daniel Hayward, Mary Helen Porter, Jacob Sheward, John Neil Stanback and India Yarborough — will compete against 80 other teams from around the world during the global competition.
The engineering team — comprised of Jamie Dornan, Etesia Holt, Colby Williams, India Yarborough, Cooper Weseli, Daniel Hayward and Will Perkins — will also compete.
Collins said it costs nearly $20,000 for the teams to attend the globals. The Columbus Municipal School District contributes the majority of the funding.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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