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RCPS Students Compete in Destination Imagination Events

STATE RESULTS: McGaheysville team advances to Global Finals!

The McGaheysville Maniacs captured a 2nd Place finish at the Destination Imagination Virginia State Tournament on Saturday, April 2 to earn a trip to the Global finals, May 25 - 28 at the University of Tennessee. Over 1,000 teams from 40 states and 25 foreign countries will compete at Global Finals. Approximately 18,000 will be at this event. Congratulations!

"McGaheysville Maniacs" team: (Back) Helen St. John, Gibson Snider, Emma Purgason, Madison Unnerstall, (Front) Derek Estep, Zachary Shuff, Luke Roth. The team managers are Vicki Shuff and Tracy Unnerstall.

 

Info and pictures submitted by Janet Wendelken and Louise Liddle

Sixteen teams representing Rockingham County Public Schools competed at the Northwest Virginia Destination Imagination Regional Tournament.  The tournament was held at Admiral Byrd Middle School in Winchester, VA on Saturday, March 12.  RCPS teams competed against 69 other teams.

RCPS saw six teams take 1st place awards. These teams (from Pence, Wayland, McGaheysville, and Montevideo along with one student from Cub Run on the Montevideo team) advance to the State Tournament on April 2 at Western Albemarle High School in Crozet to compete with 100 other first place teams from other regions. At the state tournament, 1st and 2nd place winners will advance to Global Finals. Global Finals is held in May at the University of Tennessee. Global Finals has over 1,000 teams from all over the United State and 20 countries.

Destination Imagination Teams 2010-1011 (Those denoted with ** were first place winners and advance to the state tournament.)

Cub Run Elementary – Sue Porter (Challenge teacher)

• Gloria Becchi, Kailey Bennington, Lauren Fridley, Camryn Landes, Jordan Robertson, Anastasia Webb, Ginny Witman; Beth Webb – parent manager

McGaheysville Elementary – Krista Miller (Challenge teacher)

• ** Zachary Shuff, Derek Estep, Madison Unnerstall, Emma Purgason, Luke Roth, Helen St. John, Gibson Snider; Vicki Shuff and Tracy Unnerstall - parent managers
• ** Emma Weber, Katy Owens, Jake Bowen, Max Snead, George Salcedo, John Hellmondollar, Jake Morris; Susan Morris and Robyn Bowen - parent managers

John Wayland Elementary – Charlotte Holter (Challenge teacher)

• Maxwell Turner, Aiden Lilley, Lilly-Jean Foster, Chandler Wright, Lura Gurth, Devon Kessee, Trey Gillenwater; Kerri Turner – parent manager
• Orlando Perez, Karyna Pukhouski, Owen Theis, Jacob Craun, Gavin Frueh, Alec King, Nico Valle; Tammy Craun and Cassandra King - parent managers
• ** Ashton Richmond, Brooke Moore, Eva Jordan, Noah Estes, Paul Craun, Reilly Breeden, Whitney Wright; Christine Jordan – parent manager
• Brittany Rohrer, Grant King, Payton Fulk, Aidan Parsley, Nadia Valle, Kayleon Dean, Adeline Hipps; Missy Hipps, Jill Dean, and Mary King - parent managers

Montevideo Middle School – Louise Liddle (Challenge teacher)

• Alex Wiemeyer, Emma Hall, Abby Hall, Brooke Bevington , Caitlin Morgan, Airelle Templin; Gina Wiemeyer and Linda Hall - parent managers
• Natalie Van Huss, Joohee Yang, Hunter Gregory, Harmony Wilson, Mickey Girshin, Rachel Tomei; Carrie Hartz - parent manager
• ** Aiden Harbick , Riley Harbick (CRES), Ben Whitman, David Becchi, Camden Dellinger, Michael Maldonado, Ben Bennington; Shiree Harbick and Heather Whitman - parent managers
• Kyle Eichlin, Christian Hayes, Austin Hill, Maxim Moroz, Keelan Welsh; Dana Eichlin - parent manager

Wilbur S. Pence Middle School – Cathy Glick (Challenge teacher)

• Katie McElroy , Hannah Craun, Bianca Pierson, Kelley Rohrer, Paige Richmond, Leah Lilley, Allyson Baugher; Tammy Craun and Donna Baugher - parent managers
• ** Savannah Witt, Erin Cunningham, Avi Pandey, Laura Sherrill, Maressa Cortes, Maria Leckey, Sara Herne; Graham Witt - parent manager
• Caleb Swortzel, Toby Swortzel, Geno Stickley, Adrianna Vasquez, Alton Hipps, Anthony Malabad, Brandon Bagwell; Lori Swortzel – parent manager
• ** Eli Thies, Wren Frueh, Rebecca Eanes, Joyce Sullivan, Stephanie Piazza, Nathan Hearne, Austin Black; Eileen Frueh and Laura Yordy - parent managers

Spotswood High School – Louise Liddle (Challenge teacher)

• Emily Clatterbuck, Sarah Figgatt, Courtney Schwalbach, Johnny Morris, Logan Phelps; Mike Clatterbuck and Gabriella Mirabilio - parent managers

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Destination Imagination is a community based, school friendly program that takes the ideas of creativity, problem solving and teamwork and packages them in a fun and meaningful program for students.  It can be described as a mental Olympics.  The program consists of five challenges at five levels (lower elementary, elementary, middle, secondary, and university). The variety of challenges supports the idea of multiple intelligences and different learning styles. There also is a noncompetitive challenge for K– 2.  

The Destination Imagination program is coordinated through the Gifted Education Program in Rockingham County.  Louise Liddle, gifted education teacher at Montevideo Middle and Spotswood High, is the DI Regional Director and on the state board.  Cathy Glick, gifted education teacher at Wilbur Pence Middle and Turner Ashby High, represents Rockingham County Public Schools on the Northwest Virginia Board.  For the past several months, teams have been working on solving their main challenge. Teams presented their solutions at the regional tournament.  Additionally, each team competed in an instant challenge. 

The public is invited to attend the tournaments.

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Contact Louise Liddle, lliddle@rockingham.k12.va.us, 540 289-3401