For the past few months in Maker we have been preparing for Destination Imagination (DI) 2022. Now that we are around halfway through preparations, we have decided to make a reflective post on how DI is going so far.

What is DI?

DI is an educational experience for students of all ages. The idea is that students will get together with their friends as a group and create a solution to a challenge that they will present in a global competition. PLP 8, 9, and 10 participate in DI every year.

Our Challenge:

This year I have been working with Sydney, Gwenyth, Frankie, and Andrew. Our challenge is kind of unique because it involves improv. In our challenge, we will be creating an improvised skit with two acts. The skit will take place at an existing festival that is randomly chosen from eight that we have researched. There is also a randomly selected goal and a fork in the road where we can choose between two randomly chosen goals halfway through the skit. As another bonus, we get to use ten cardboard boxes in our skit.

What we Have Done:

So far, my team and I have thought of possible ways to use boxes and ways we can incorporate each festival into the skit. We have also finished researching all of our festivals. Recently, we have been practicing by selecting one of our festivals and a goal then following all of the steps of the challenge. We have also been doing lots of improv practice to work on our improvisational skills.

Instant Challenges:

Another part of DI is instant challenges. Instant challenges are quick on the spot challenges with a short amount of time to complete them and a particular set of rules. Some of the challenges are performance based, where we have to create a short performance. Some of the challenges are task based, where we have to use limited materials to create something that accomplishes a specific task. Lots of challenges will incorporate both aspects. Our team has been winning lots of challenges against other class groups recently, and I think that we are going do to well in that aspect.

What I’m Doing Well in:

I think my team is on the right track. We have accomplished quite a lot in terms of our solution and I think if we keep going at this rate we will be able to do well in the competition on April 2nd. 

I have been working well with my group-mates and we have been getting along well. The more I practice improv, the more confident I feel. Having a knack for storytelling, I have found myself to be good at coming up with ideas for our skits. Combining this skill with the strengths and talents of my other members, we hope to create an amazing skit that the appraisers will love.

Opportunities for Growth:

Although I believe we are on track to succeed in our challenge, I still think we have a lot of work ahead of us. With Maker 8 at it’s end, we don’t have nearly as much time to work on it as before. I think that we will have to work on our improv skills a lot if we want to be able to succeed.

I think that I have lots room to improve on my improv skills. I should also work on being more open to other people’s ideas (especially in my management category).

I’ll post another reflection of DI after the competition in April.