Destination ImagiNation: STEM Program and Competition for Students
There are many STEM programs and competitions in the world as STEM has been becoming increasingly popular. What makes Destination ImagiNation stand out is their desire to ignite the power within all youth to use their imagination and unique ideas to innovate and collaborate with others. Destination ImagiNation offers many STEM programs and competitions for students from Pre-K through students in college!
In this blog post, we discuss the programs and competitions Destination ImagiNation has to offer and its benefits. Destination ImagiNation has been proven to make students all over the world shine through their diverse options of STEM programs and competitions!
What is Destination ImagiNation?
Destination ImagiNation is a global community who pushes students past boundaries to open up a new perspective about the world. They provide fun STEM programs and competitions for students to participate in to inspire and create solutions! Not only do they want students to innovate unique creations, but they also want students to inspire each other and gain confidence in themselves and their achievements.
How to Prepare for Destination ImagiNation
There is no “right” way to prepare for Destination ImagiNation. In fact, you do not need to! Even if you are a pro in a STEM field or are completely new, wanting to figure out your passions, Destination ImagiNation is right for you! It is a wonderful STEM program and competition for students to participate in, with a wide range of programs to fit all!
The Benefits of Destination ImagiNation
Destination Imagination inspires many students to innovate and imagine ideas that will improve the world today! Students gain important skills for the future as the programs and competitions offered turn students into creative and collaborative leaders!
Amazing Opportunity
Destination ImagiNation provides amazing STEM opportunities designed specifically for students. The diverse programs and competitions offered allow students to gain a holistic learning experience. Students from around the world have the opportunity to not only explore STEM, but befriend other students from around the world!
Gain Important Skills
Destination ImagiNation teaches and improves STEM and real-world skills to students to help them stand out and thrive in the future! The team project-based programs and competitions encourage students to work together and gain connections for the future!
Students are exposed to niche topics of STEM such as computer science or robotics so they can continue to pursue them in the future! Additionally, Destination ImagiNation improves problem-solving and critical thinking skills which are important skills for students to know in and out of school!
Although Destination ImagiNation provides many STEM opportunities, students learn many non-STEM based skills! Students get to improve their teamwork, creative thinking, and emotional skills such as self-confidence and empathy! As a team, students can learn and teach each other skills that are unique and will help them in the future!
Team Project-Based Programs
Early Learning
Early Learning offers two programs for Pre-K through second grade students that teach basic STEM principles. Destination ImagiNation engases young students in STEM with two programs: Challenge Experience and STEM & Literacy Curriculum.
The Early Learning Challenge Experience provides Early Learning Team Challenges which are designed to teach the creative process to young students. They have a unique system of learning that brings a student’s creative ideas to life! Destination ImagiNation offers one new and exciting Challenge that encourages students to learn new skills and explore the diverse STEM field each season.
The STEM & Literacy Curriculum for Early Learners is designed to help 3-year-olds to 6-year-olds start learning about STEM and literacy concepts as well as arts at an early age. It is a curriculum with 18 chapters, filled with engaging activities that students can complete at home or in the classroom!
The ImagineXperience
The imagineXperience program offers a non-competitive environment in which K-12 students can collaborate, innovate, and learn new STEM skills. This program allows students living in underserved communities access to a team project-based learning challenge and tools that will improve social awareness, relationship skills, self-confidence, and responsible decision making while helping them learn about Artificial Intelligence and creative storytelling.
The imagineXperience program is a virtual program that allows students to participate no matter where they live. Destination ImagiNation believes that equity is a key component to success in STEM literacy which is why this program is directed towards underserved students. It provides students from all over the world with a high-quality STEM learning experience in computer science, robotics, and more!
Envision
Envision is a young innovators exchange which celebrates the convergence of technology and arts through robotics and storytelling. Teams explore the world of robotics, mechatronics, and fantasy in a STEM challenge. TETRIX kits from Pitsco, an educational robotics company, are provided to students so they can design and build their own creative creations!
Teams are given challenge details, tools, and materials so they can successfully complete the challenge. Within 4 days, teams will create their innovative solutions and share it at a showcase event. At the showcase event, a panel of experts will be around to rate the solution and provide helpful feedback to teams!
Team Project-Based Competitions
Challenge Experience
Challenge Experience is a Destination ImagiNation’s flagship program for Pre-K to university students. It offers project-based STEM challenges that teams with 2 to 7 members need to collaborate and solve to present to a panel of judges. There are two distinct formats: Team Challenges and Instant Challenges.
For Team Challenges, a group of students must select one Team Challenge to create a solution for and present at the tournament. The challenges are offered every year in the following categories: Scientific, Technical, Improvisational, Engineering, Fine Arts, Service Learning, and Early Learning. Although each Team Challenge has a specific focus, teams must incorporate elements to make them multi-disciplinary. For example, the Engineering Challenge will have an artistic component.
For Instant Challenges, students improve their problem-solving skills like implementation and rapid ideation to build teamwork and critical-thinking. Instant Challenges can be performance-based, task-based, or both. Teams participating in Instant Challenges practice throughout the year and are given one at the tournament.
Digital Open
The Digital Open is a virtual challenge that is designed for teams who want or need a flexible learning experience such as in-person, hybrid, or online. Each year, Destination ImagiNation creates a unique challenge that requires students to come up with a digital solution. In the global competition, teams and their solutions are ranked.
The teams are given 7 weeks to solve the Challenge and at the end of the 7 weeks, the submitted solutions will be scored and ranked, and the winners will be announced at the epic Awards Ceremony.
Digital Open is open to teams of 2 to 7 members competing at Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and University Levels. All students from the world are welcome and encouraged to join!
Destination ImagiNation
Destination ImagiNation provides excellent STEM programs and competitions to students from Pre-K to college. Exploring STEM from a young age is an amazing opportunity students should take up because they may find their passions in the STEM fields!
This blog provided some details about each program and competition, but feel free to learn more about Destination Imagination through the links provided and your own research! Students will have an amazing time exploring the diverse STEM concepts and Destination ImagiNation provides a unique opportunity!
About Inspirit AI
AI Scholars Live Online is a 10 session (25-hour) program that exposes high school students to fundamental AI concepts and guides them to build a socially impactful project. Taught by our team of graduate students from Stanford, MIT, and more, students receive a personalized learning experience in small groups with a student-teacher ratio of 5:1.
