[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 88 (Tuesday, July 11, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S6467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNITION OF THE DESTINATION IN IMAGI NATION TEAM FROM PIONEER MIDDLE 
                                 SCHOOL

 Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, it is not often that over 8,000 
kids from all over the world are brought together to celebrate their 
creativity and problem solving skills, but thanks to a program called 
Destination ImagiNation, it became a reality in May of this year when 
Destination ImagiNation held their Global Finals at Iowa State 
University. A five-student team from Pioneer Middle School in 
Wenatchee, Washington were able to participate in the D2K finals and 
were a great success when they finished fourth in the ``Instant PUDDING 
Improv'' category.
  Destination ImagiNation is a non-profit corporation that offers young 
people a chance to participate in a global, youth-centered, creative 
problem solving program. The Destination ImagiNation program has two 
components: ``Instant Challenges'' that teach students to take what 
life is handing them moment to moment and requires them to solve a 
challenge on the spot; ``Team Challenges'' use art, technology, 
performance, and real world relevance as they tackle one of the six 
challenges, that can take from several weeks to several months to 
develop.
  The team from Pioneer Middle School included Carly Faulkner, Kari 
Opp, Whitney Faulkner, Jessica Pinkston and Aaron Galbraith. Utilizing 
their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, these amazing 
individuals were able to perform an improvisational story with only a 
half and hour to prepare. Not only were there time limits, but they 
were given predetermined props and a list of 12 people, places, and 
times that had to be incorporated into their performance.
  Can you imagine having to correlate Ghandi, the Egyptian Pyramids, 
Tinkerbell, and someone winning a million dollars in the Lotto into a 
coherent and entertaining piece? Successfully, the 8th graders were 
able to accomplish just that. Surely, this takes a tremendous deal of 
teamwork and quick thinking!
  Their coach, Shelly Skaar, who is a librarian for the East Wenatchee 
School District, has been with the team twice at the D2K competition. 
``The impact on the kids has built their teamwork, problem solving 
abilities, and even incorporates acting into how they compete,'' says 
Shelly.
  Clearly, this is a confidence building tool that allows children to 
capitalize on their creativity and be proud of their ideas. I applaud 
the positive nature of Destination ImagiNation, and am glad that so 
many children across the nation and around the globe are taking part in 
such an original competition.

                          ____________________