Destination Imagination looking for sponsors for a great cause!

Destination Imagination was introduced at the Dover Middle school in 2010 and has had great success teaching children how to problem solve and learn teamwork skills. Destination ImagiNation is a nonprofit educational organization focusing on developing student creativity, problem solving, team work, and collaboration and leadership skills.  Each team is given seven months to solve a challenge and present their solution at tournaments.  At the tournaments, the team is also given an “on-the-spot” challenge to solve (in 8 minutes!) that tests their thinking skills and teamwork under pressure.  

This year our team placed first at the NH regional tournament and moved on to the State tournament held March 31, 2012.  At the State tournament our team (Just Hold It ) placed first, allowing us to advance to the Global Finals at the University of Tennessee on May 23, 2012. In Tennessee our team will be competing against the top teams from United States and from 30 countries from around the world!

The main challenge is multifaceted.  First, we had to design, build and test a structure made entirely of wood and glue, weighing less than 50 grams, which would support as much weight as possible and hold golf balls that were delivered by a golf ball delivery device we designed and built.  At the State tournament, our structure weighed 20.8 grams held 650 pounds and held 18 golf balls without breaking!  We hope to improve on that performance at the Global competition and are feverishly testing design improvements. Second, we had to write a play complete with a script, songs, costumes, props and scenery, involving a captivator. We chose to write our skit about the Wright Brothers and how they captivated the world with the world’s first airplane. Our whole solution had to be done within a strict cost limitation of $100.00, testing our budgeting skill on top of everything else.

We are looking for sponsors to help cover our cost of our participation at the Global tournament (entrance fee of $4500) and to set up funds to increase the number of teams next year at Dover Middle School. Destination Imagination takes learning to the next level by applying what we learn in school to solve a real challenge. Your donation is tax-deductible through the Dover Middle School PTA and we will publicly thank you on our website www.dover-di.org and in an article to appear in the Fosters Daily Democrat. The DMS PTA non-profit tax ID # is: 90-0130944. We are trying to raise $10,000 and any donation you can make would be greatly appreciated.  If you are able to help, make your check payable to DMS PTA with DI fundraiser in the memo line and mail your tax deductible donation to:

Dover Middle School PTA
Attn: D.I.
16 Daley Drive
Dover, NH 03820

Thank you in advance for your consideration and support. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact
me, Aimee at 603-498-5969 or Sue Sheehan (DI Parent and Just Hold It’sFund Raising Chair) at 742-1073.

Sincerely,

Aimee Marchesi and The Just Hold It team.

Riley Dube, Ryan Fitzgerald, Cody Sheehan, Connor Blomstrom, Sam Faasen, and Will Marchesi