Highlights
OM Association, Inc. of New York CreativityNews
March 2000 Issue
1999-2000
Destination ImagiNation Season …
State Competition Report
We Did it...TOGETHER!
Amherst Middle School was
utilized this year as the site for the combined Western Region and New York
State Tournament. While the snow threatened outside all day, the spirits of
everyone inside were bright and sunny. The Staff at Amherst MS made sure
that every contingency was anticipated for the tournament. The custodial staff
in the building, and the food service were wonderful to all of us. We
appreciate their help in making this the best t ournament we have ever had!
While our awards
celebration is always fun, this year marked the first time we celebrated as a
State Tournament. I want to thank EVERYONE who understood the necessity for
combining our State and Western Regional Tournaments making the a wards about
30 minutes longer than we are used to.... more awards.... more happy kids....
more CHAMPIONSHIPS! The scores were not ready right on time for the scheduled
awards celebration, in fact, when the first teams were receiving their awards
some F ruit Rollercoaster teams were still competing and the score room
was still busily crunching numbers! But as the scores were ready they were run
onto the stage and each award flowed into the next seamlessly!…this could not
have happened without the ded ication of the score room personnel and our
Problem Captains who put in some intense moments to make sure kids didn’t
have to wait an extra minute to find out who our new Champions would be.
As we look forward to next
years creative challenges, let me remind you that EVERY team won on
March 11th . The solutions you demonstrated were outstanding in every way, by
completing these solutions you "beat" the difficult prob lem, and by
beating the problem you won.
Da Vinci Award Recipients
The Da Vinci Creativity
Award is at the heart of what DI is all about. It is only given to those
individuals and teams that exhibit the highest levels of creativity at an DI
Tournament.
The citation on the DaVinci
Certificate reads:
"The paths we follow
on our journeys were once uncharted and unknown – until someone took a bold
step in a new direction and paved a way for us to follow. To solve our
Challenges, imagination, creativity, originality, and courage are re quired. We
honor those individuals and teams who most clearly demonstrate that spirit of
adventurous risk in their solutions - those who most creatively traveled to
reach truly new and unique destinations. The DaVinci Award is named to honor
one of humani ty's greatest creative thinkers, Leonardo Da Vinci. Awards will
include an inscription of Leonardo's personal motto "Sapere Vedere"
(To Know How to See ) - fusing classical thought and philosophy with art and
science to propose new and creative outlooks o f the world. *Please note:
solutions need not be successful to demonstrate the attributes of creativity
and risk taking."
1999-2000 NY State DaVinci Award Recipients:
Somers
Intermediate School
If Music Be
the Food of Life...
Elementary
Level
"The cardboard oven
used in the sketch turned into an elaborate musical instrument using pool
balls, a conveyor belt, a symptom of decending flumes which conveyed the pool
balls and in the middle or at the end of the flumes were different musical
instruments. As the pool balls decended they hit the musical instruments which
created various musical tones. The pool balls ended up in a basket at the back
of the prop. Therefore, the whole process could b e started again.
FANTASTIC!"
Huth Road
Elementary School
Mixing Apples
& Oranges
Elementary
Level
"WOW! These had to be
two of the most unique species we saw all day! Talk about opposites attracting!
Would you believe that the ESPINAL WORM could actually raise and nurture a
HATZIN BIRD! This team transported our audience to the Amazon River with music
and scenery that came to life. A wonderfully wildly rooted rain forest tree
popped open to become our narrator. An additional risk taking bonus that really
grabbed the judges attention was the fact that this team was particularly
conscious of pollution and damage to the species habitat. They took this
'environmental challenge' seriously and produced their skit with as many
recycled items as possible - no trees were killed to solve this DI challenge!
"
Mildred E.
Strang Middle School
Instant
Pudding Improv
Intermediate
Level
"Skit was so creative
they actually had some of us visualizing a castle. Use of a "minstrel"
set the mood and setting, plus acting as a time period storyteller. Props were
super creative - and well m ade. Bifocals looked real! The sword (umbrella
handle) in a stone (plastic bottle) was a WOW! One characters ears kept falling/slipping
- but she carried on without missing a step. Story flow was 'simpatico'
excellent stage presence and projection"
Renaissance Award Recipients
For Outstanding Design, Engineering, Execution, Performance
"On our journey we
sometimes encounter exceptional travelers who entertain and enlighten us along
the way. The Renaissance Award recognizes those among us who demonstrate
extraordinary amounts of effort and preparation in their solution s or
outstanding skill in engineering, design or performance. While the destination
is creativity, these fellow travelers make the journey itself memorable."
1999-2000 NY State Renaissance Award Recipients:
Ellicott
Elementary
Mixing Apples
& Oranges
Elementary
Level
"The Renaissance Award
is dedicated to a team that exhibits outstanding engineering, design or
performance... this team exhibited all three! Design and Engineering was
accomplished through the use of eliptical wheels creating a wobbly gate of a
prop. The axle of this prop also turned creating contact points making 'flashy'
eyes. One prop doubled as two as they reversed it going from a chimney stack to
a geyser. As stirring rendition of an original po em reinforcing the need for a
caring world population filled the requirements that makes this team from
Ellicott Road true Renaissance performers!"
Brookside
Elementary
It's Not
Impastable!
Elementary
Level
"The structure was
AMAZING! If more time was allowed they could still be putting weights on right
now! IMPECCABLE WORK!"
Somers
Intermediate School
If Music Be
the Food of Life...
Elementary
Level
"The team showed
exceptional computer skills and technical aptitude in planning and creating
their sophisticated props. It was a definate WOW!"
Spirit of DI Award Recipients
The Spirit of Discovery and Imagination Award
(Spirit of DI Award):
for Outstanding Spirit, Teamwork, Volunteerism,
Sportsmanship
"Destination
ImagiNation from its very beginning has been a community. The recipients of
this award are the ones who go out of their way to help others, making
sacrifices not for themselves, but to give something to someone else. We rec
ognize and applaud those members of our community who demonstrate outstanding
and extraordinary levels of sportsmanship, volunteerism and spirit, be they
Team Managers, Team members, Officials, or other helpful DI friends and
volunteers."
1999-2000 NY State Spirit of DI Award Recipients:
Individual
Award
Mr. Chris
Repp
"The authors of the
citation for the Spirit of DI award must have known the person who is our
state's first ever recipient!
Several months ago, a
long-time coach came to me asking how he could help get our fledgling state
organization off the ground... you should know he was already committed to
coaching a team. I mentioned to him that I was having a terribl e time figuring
out how what was developed as a regional budget could possibly be stretched to
provide a kid centered and volunteer based program for the entire state.
Certainly his generous corporate donation making our awards possible would have
been en ough to generate this nomination, but he didn't stop there! This
incredible man then began to gently prod other businesses into making donations
to help cover in part the purchase of state pins, state champion t-shirts, and
our gorgeous new banner that wi ll be proudly carried into opening and closeing
ceremonies at the Destination ImagiNation Global Finals in May! This man went
to fund raisers for OTHER organizations and raised funds for us there! He
continually and persistently insists that there is more that can be done. And
while coaching a DI Team, running a business, being a Father and Husband, this
man continues to give of himself to the benefit of every DI participant in our
state.
We are blessed to have
Chris Repp among us - he is one who TRULY and selflessly gives of himself,
making sacrifices to help all of us!"
Moses DeWitt
Elementary
It's Not
Impastable!
Elementary
Level
"Good skit
charaterizations, lively presentation, this was a TOTAL TEAM EFFORT! Used
recording of their own voices as music backgound. Included a video, also in the
backgound, of historic Verranzzano bridge collapse, whild singing and dancing
to "London Bridge". Pasta structure was very light and simple, yet
supported over 100 pounds (Ratio of load to Structure was over 300 pounds to 1
pound structure!) They displayed their own drawings of tresses an d showed us
their research and web research. We were VERY impressed with the wonderful TEAM
effort displayed by this team."
Kristina
Moore
Pierre Van Cortlandt
MS
If Music Be
the Food of Life...
Intermediate
Level
Instant
Challenge Nomination
"She was very
supportive of all team members ideas. She tried to draw out her less vocal team
mates. She was a leader without being overpowering. She praised her team mates
for good ideas and efforts . A real team cheerleader and the heart of the team!
She also had wonderful ideas of her own!"
A Word About Winning!
Destination ImagiNation is
the only thing I can think of that has no losers, every team has only one competitor,
and that is the problem they face..."winning" is beating the problem!
Every one of the teams that showed a problem solution to the judges won on
3/11/00. Some teams were named "Champions" and will advance in
competition, the vast majority of teams ended their DI season after the awards
ceremony. The only possible loss would be if any of th ose teams were not
extremely proud of themselves for taking on and conquering these difficult
problems...You are all champions!
What Now?
For a few lucky teams this
DI season continues at the Destination ImagiNation International Tournament to
be held on May 24 through 28 at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. As is the
case with all DI Tournaments, D2K is open to spectators, and all of the teams
enjoy having an enthusiastic audience for their performance. If you happen to
be traveling toward Iowa, or willing to make a special trip why not stop in and
cheer on a few teams?
About the scores
While we are extremely
proud of the birth of our new organization, we are even prouder when we say
that the scores of this competition show the intensely competitive nature of
our tournament. There a re many many cases of teams within a hair’s breath of
one another.
In order to illustrate the
closeness of these scores individual team scores should never be viewed in
isolation. A score of 35 in one aspect of a challenge may not look all that
good in isolation, but it may well be the best score of th e day for that
particular challenge and competition level.
Western Regional Champions!
Complete scores are available at our website
Mixing Apples & Oranges
Elementary
1st - Ellicott Elementary
2nd - Huth Road Elementary
3rd - Charlotte Ave. Elementary'
Intermediate
1st - Amherst Middle School
2nd - Hamburg Middle School
Eggsploration!
Elementary
1st - South Davis Elementary
2nd - Blasdell Elementary
3rd - Main Street Elementary
Intermediate
1st - Lakeshore Middle School
2nd - Amherst Middle School
3rd - Gowanda Central School
Fruit Roller Coaster
Elementary
1st - Ellicott Elementary
2nd - Main Street Elementary
3rd - South Davis Elementary
Intermediate
1st - JT Waugh Intermediate School
2nd- Orchard Park Middle School
3rd - Amherst Middle School
Secondary
1st - Orchard Park High School
2nd - Panama Central School
If Music Be the Food of Life...
Elementary
1st - Eggert Road Elementary
2nd - Charlotte Ave Elementary
3rd - WT Hoag Elementary
It's Not Impastable!
Elementary
1st - Gowanda Central School
2nd - Main Street Elementary
3rd - Highland Elementary
Intermediate
1st - Tonawanda Jr/Sr High School
Secondary
1st - Panama Central School
Instant Pudding Improv
Elementary
1st - JT Waugh Intermediate School
2nd - Windom Elementary
3rd - Gowanda Central School
Intermediate
1st - Orchard Park Middle School
2nd - East Aurora Middle School
3rd - Frontier Middle School
Secondary
1st - Orchard Park High School
New York State Champions!
Complete scores are available at our website
Mixing Apples & Oranges
Elementary
1st - Ellicott Elementary
2nd - Huth Road Elementary
3rd - Somers Intermediate School
Intermediate
1st - Mildred E. Strang MS
2nd - Amherst Middle School
3rd - Somers Middle School
Eggsploration!
Elementary
1st - South Davis Elementary
2nd - Blasdell Elementary
3rd - Brookside Elementary
Intermediate
1st - Mildred E. Strang MS
2nd - Lakeshore Middle School
3rd - Amherst Middle School
Fruit Roller Coaster
Elementary
1st - Ellicott Elementary
2nd - Lincoln-Titus Elementary - Tm A
3rd - Main Street Elementary
Intermediate
1st - JT Waugh Intermediate School
2nd- Orchard Park Middle School
3rd - Somers Middle School
Secondary
1st - Orchard Park High School
2nd - Panama Central School
If Music Be the Food of Life...
Elementary
1st - Somers Intermediate
2nd - Eggert Road Elementary
3rd - Charlotte Ave Elementary
Intermediate
1st - Pierre Van Cortlandt MS
2nd - Briarcliff MS
It's Not Impastable!
Elementary
1st - Brookside Elementary
2nd - Moses De Witt Elementary
3rd - Gowanda Central School
Intermediate
1st - De Ruyter Elementary
2nd - Tonawanda Jr/Sr High School
Secondary
1st - Panama Central School
Instant Pudding Improv
Elementary
1st - Springhurst Elementary
2nd - JT Waugh Intermediate School
3rd - Windom Elementary
Intermediate
1st - Orchard Park Middle School
2nd - Mildred E. Strang Middle School
3rd - Somers Middle School
Secondary
1st - Orchard Park High School
Special words of thanks!
As many of you already know
I have been involved in creative problem solving programs for many years as a
parent, coach, judge, regional director, and now as your affiliate director.
Every year I am amazed and blessed by the assistance of outstanding volunteers
who work so hard to make our tournament a special day for every team. The
judges, coaches, parents, school coordinators, principals, district office
administration, BOCES personnel, score runn ers, souviner sales personnel, and
tournament volunteers are OUTSTANDING in our state!
I would be remiss if I
didn't say a personal word of thanks to ALL of our outstanding teams....you
come in to the building with your props, costumes, skits, and solutions and
make everyone look good. All of the congratulations I have be en hearing in the
past couple of days for a wonderful tournament should be directed to YOU and
only to YOU! You are, very simply put....THE BEST! And I thank each
and every one of you more than words can possibly express for your dedication
to each other, teamwork, the DI program and exemplifying the "be the best
you can be" philosophy.
A Plea for help....
Many of you are aware that
this year, our first year, was a special challenge for all of us. While
providing information, training, and support to teams and coaches we were also
building an organizat ion from the ground up, recruiting judges, planning
tournaments and attempting to define our new program for our members and the
world! It was a difficult and interesting year to say the least!
In preparation for next
year (I can hear you all groaning now!!!) I would ask that each of you consider
taking on a critical role within our fledgling State organization. We are in
need of board members representing each area of our sta te, as well as a State
Tournament Director. We must now expand our State Judging Corps as well.
Between now and September
2000 we will be doing a great deal of planning for the new DI Season ahead. We
need people willing to help plan and implement even a small portion of our
program.
We anticipate amazing
growth in our program now that we have proved to the world that WE
CAN DO IT! We very much want to have a complete State Tournament in 2001,
we already have a site near Syracuse NY selected for our 20 01 tournament, but
this can only happen when we have even more dedicated volunteers and judges to
assist in making this a reality -- I cannot do all of it alone and am
asking YOU to consider how you can help make our
organizati on grow and flourish in the coming years..... if you are willing to
take on a role within our organization please contact me at your earliest
convenience. There is no pay.... unless you count the incredible joy you feel
in seeing children grow and become all they can..... there are few thanks for
all the work....... unless you count the one's you will see in parents eyes one
day out of the year as they watch their children with pride. There is no limit
to how much needs to be done... unless you limit what you want to do for the
kids! Please consider joining me in this 'joyous exhaustion' as we take our
program forward.....
Growing our Program...
We believe that our program
has PROVED to be the most responsive, kid centered, volunteer run,
completely membership driven program in our state.... IT'S TIME TO GET THE
WORD OUT THAT WE AR E HERE TO STAY AND GROWING!
If each membership
coordinator, Team Manager, Parent, Judge, and Team Member calls one friend at a
school not participating in our program and lets them know about their
own experience, we can grow our program, serve more chi ldren, and expand our
volunteer base! You are the consumer of our program in New York.... You are our
best advertisement!
I call upon each of you to
make just one contact and tell one person about your experience in our program
this year. If we can do it so well this first year just IMAGINE how
great the future will be!
Final words...
I am so proud of each and
every team and coach in our state, I am so thankful to each of our membership
coordinators for the time and effort they put into supporting our teams, I am
so appreciative o f the school administrators who in times of budget
constraints have found a way to encourage participation in this outstanding
program, I am thrilled to say that this state boasts the best and most
diversified judging team that has ever been assembled for a Tournament, and
finally I am honored to be able to serve every team and coach in this state in
any way I possibly can. If you need anything regarding DI, whether it be
advice, a shoulder to cry on, a willing ear, or a presentation, extra training,
or a book from the lending library, I am always only as far away as your
telephone......
The final Newsletter of the
school year will follow The International DI Tournament (D2K) and will include
membership information for 2001.
In the meanwhile, the state
website will continue to be updated on a regular basis with important
information about our program as will the national website at www.dini.org
Sincerely,
Dee Urban, Affiliate Director
OM Association, Inc. of NY
73 Minden Drive
Orchard Park, NY 14127
Phone: 716-675-7566
e-mail: deeurban@roadrunner.com
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