VCU sponsors problem-solving challenge for K-12 students

By Mary Beth Alford

RICHMOND, Va. – More than 2,500 students, parents and teachers from around the state will converge at Virginia Commonwealth University on April 28 for the state finals tournament of the annual Destination ImagiNation competition. The contest, sponsored by the VCU Alumni Activities for the past five years, is part of a national program that teaches life skills and expands imaginations. Through team-based creative problem solving, the competition promotes creativity in students from kindergarten through college age.

Destination ImagiNation, a non-profit corporation supported by affiliates from around the world, offers a global, youth-centered creative program through various levels of tournaments that allow participants to demonstrate their problem-solving skills. Seven-student teams from 44 states and 11 countries worldwide – including Canada, the United Kingdom and Brazil – will participate in this year’s competitions around the world.

The program, which will be held at several locations on VCU’s Academic Campus throughout the day, offers two components: instant challenges and team challenges. Instant challenges spark imagination, risk-taking, time-awareness and cooperation by requiring team members to solve a challenge in less than five minutes, using random materials and verbal responses. During the team challenge, each team chooses to solve one of five challenges using art, technology, performance and real-world experiences. This challenge, which was given to the team in the fall, may take weeks or months to develop.

"The competition teaches teamwork, self-confidence and creativity, while fostering problem-solving skills in all types of students, including those with learning disabilities," said Susan Nunemaker, M.E.D, association director of Virginia Destination ImagiNation and guidance counselor at Dinwiddie Middle School. "Although many students excel creatively, few education systems focus on teaching creative thinking. In this challenge, all children can succeed."

Several Richmond area schools will compete in the state competition, including The Governor’s School for Government and International Studies in Richmond, Peabody Middle School in Petersburg and several from both Colonial Heights and Henrico County.

"The tournament offers students throughout Virginia a wonderful opportunity to meet participants of all ages while learning skills that will help them throughout their lives," said Diane Stout-Brown, associate director of VCU Alumni Activities. "Through sponsorship of this activity, VCU hopes to encourage overall college attendance by showing students the range of opportunities available."

The final competition will be held at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville from May 23-27, where more than 800 teams from across the world will compete. For information on Richmond events, visit the Web site at www.createva.org.