On Saturday, April 18, three LHS teams will be participating in Destination Imagination’s Maryland State Tournament at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC).

Destination Imagination is a national organization that challenges students to problem solve creatively, from kindergarten to university age.  Students must complete one of the challenges provided in their chosen category.  Categories include: Technical, Scientific, Structural, Fine Arts, Improvisational, Service Learning/Project Outreach, Early Learning/Rising Stars, and Instant Challenge.

While solving the challenges, teams learn and develop skills such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, citizenship, and courage.  Destination Imagination also provides an Early Learning Challenge, which in a non-competitive challenge that allows small children develop social and problem solving skills.

Juniors Grace Yingling, Brianna Scott, Madeline Wodaski, Courtney Shrider, Rhiannon Wiland, James Ensor, sophomore Clayton Yingling, and mentor New Market Middle School Advanced Academics Specialist Renee Heeley form the Linganore.gov team.  They will be participating in the Fine Arts challenge.

“Our skit is a ‘feary tale,’ a fairy tale that centers around a fear. I play the lead, Grobit, a wizard with two children who fears the strength of his own powers.  The story follows a cast of characters as they react to Grobit’s fear as it starts spreading and freezing people,” explains Ensor.  The team has created everything – story, script, costumes, and more.

“The viewers will learn that you should never bottle up your fears or your problems, because then it will never truly go away, and it can lead to problems for other people in the future,” said Scott.

Sophomores Garrett Wiehler and Lincoln Robisch make up the Linganore-Error-Does Not Load team.  This is their first year participating together in the Improv category. Together, they have won the Da Vinci, DI Spirit, and Instant-Challenge award.

“It’s just me and my friend Lincoln, so we are just looking to have fun and make a funny sketch,” said Wiehler.  This is Wiehler’s fifth year participating in Destination Imagination, and this is his first year participating in the Improvisational challenge.

Freshmen Alexander Tran, Clayton Buckman, Andrew Nash, and Lars Eklund form the Linganore 5 Elements.  This is their second year participating in the Structural challenge.

Last year, they had to build a structure that could hold the most weight as possible.  They received fifth place.  This year, they have to build a structure that can successfully hold ten pounds after removing a piece of the structure.

“My favorite thing about the competition is when we get there because we can hang around.  You are competing for around an hour, then you have six to seven hours on a college campus to look around and have fun,” says Nash.

Approximately 125,000 students participate every year.  The competitions are held annually during the school year, reaching its most important event, Global Finals, which will be held on May 20th to the 23rd in Knoxville, Tennessee.