Phoenixville, PA – Renaissance Academy Charter School (RA) is proud to announce that they are (once again) heading to the Destination Imagination (DI) Global competition. The 2019 event, which is comprised of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M) team participants from around the world, will be held May 22-25, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Back in March 2019, RA’s five teams traveled to Elizabethtown Area High School to participate in the PA state DI competition. Each team put together amazing projects, each that included a short skit, creation of props and technical devices. This year the RA teams had drones flying overhead, buildings chasing monsters, giant sized Tetris, and condiments that had onlookers hunched over in laughter. The teams were also required to complete an Instant Challenge component, during which teams must quickly assess a situation, make a plan, and work together to create a solution.
All five RA teams received medals. Three teams earned first place, two teams earned second place, and four out of the five teams qualified for globals. RA also has the distinction of being the only school who will represent the state of Pennsylvania at this international competition. The RA DI Teams are as follows:
The RA Elementary Teams:
- 3rd Grade Team: Logan McCullough, Samuel Akinfenwa, Ved Pakala, Ajay Ganesh, and Isaac Webb who competed in the Engineering Challenge “Monster Effects”. These students created a structure that held weight and came up with a clever story about a building attacking the monster. They placed third (bronze medal) in their challenge for their unique story, creative costumes and engineering design.
- 4th and 5th Grade Team: Carter Meyer, Devlin McKee, Abhinav Shrirang, and Sanketh Srinivasan who competed in the service learning challenge “Escape Artists”. The students researched a need in our community and found out that PACS (Phoenixville Area Community Service center) has a need for Ketchup. The team did a Ketchup drive at school and collected over 50 bottles of Ketchup. They also presented a hilarious skit on finding the lost ketchup. They were awarded 1st place (gold medal) and invited to Global Finals.
The RA Mid-Level Teams are:
- 6th Grade Team: Delaney McKee, McKenna Seningen, Chase Miller, Charlie Goulding, Kayla Zimmerman, and Trooper Hocking who competed in the Fine Arts Challenge Game on. They created a skit about a giant game of Tetris and a rivalry between two friends. The team presented a moral about how sometimes being overconfident can cost you. The team’s life size Tetris creation and humbling skit earned them a silver medal.
- 6th and 7th Grade Team: Maribelle Buli, MerRick Hall, Aadit Bontha, Lucas Carre, and Lucas Sullivan, whose creative set, intriguing story and flying drone left many astonished. The team built a working drone from parts that carried supplies to a stranded pilot on a deserted island with a talking bush. The team’s dedication earned them 1st place (gold medal) and a much deserved invitation to Global Finals.
- 7th Grade Team (pictured in the feature photo): Vai Turner, Talan Harakal, Dylan Viksne., Gabe Veneziale, Harlow Harakal, Quinn Wright, and Liam Coughlin who competed in the Scientific Challenge Medical Mystery. The students researched symptoms of the human body and created a “sympto-matic”, a device that demonstrated the symptoms of a medical anomaly. These students “visited” an unknown planet where their astronaut was infected by an alien parasite causing the patient to have difficulty breathing, flailing of limbs and even loss of bladder control. The students made a model of the lungs where one lung inflated and deflated and one did not. The humorous skit and medical knowledge brought the team to 1st place (gold medal) and earned them their spot in Kansas City.
Guided by staff advisers, Melissa Weidman and Michael Packard, RA’s DI program is only in its second year of existence. The young RA DI teams are proud and excited to represent Renaissance Academy and the state of PA. They have been fundraising and are currently seeking donations from community members and businesses to help the team get to Kansas City. Those who would like to help can text RASTEAM to 41444 or Donate Online to RA DI Teams. Renaissance Academy is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization - contributions are tax-deductible
About Destination Imagination (DI) - DI is a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics (STEAM) organization whose goal of is "To be the global leader in teaching the creative process from imagination to innovation." The program was incorporated in 1982 when they took over the charter for the OM Association, Inc. In 1999, the name was changed to Destination Imagination, Inc. and since then, the non-profit has impacted more than 1.5 million participants worldwide. To learn more about DI, Visit Destination Imagination's Website.