More than 700 Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students competed in the regional Destination ImagiNation competition held Saturday, March 10, at North Point High School. Forty-seven teams advance to the state-level competition, scheduled for April 14 at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

One hundred eight teams competed to solve one of six problems in the long-term academic event that challenges students to work together to apply creativity, critical thinking skills and their unique talents. Challenges are separated into three levels of competition: elementary, middle and secondary. Teams that place at the regional event advance to the state tournament.

The following Charles County teams placed in the top four spots at the regional Destination ImagiNation tournament.

Winners in the Assembly Required challenge are:

  • Elementary: Malcolm Elementary School, Cool Warriors Strike Bak team, first place; and Malcolm, Epic Pink Zombies team, second place.
  • Middle: John Hanson Middle School, DI Like Donuts team, first place; Theodore G. Davis Middle School, Deli Meat team, second place; and St. Mary's Bryantown, Dynamite team, third place.
  • High: North Point High School, AC/DI team, first place; and Henry E. Lackey High School, Team A, second place.

Winners in The Solar Stage challenge are:

  • Elementary: William A. Diggs Elementary School, The Curiosity Group team, first place; Mary H. Matula Elementary School, Planet Rocks team, second place; Matula, Superstars team, third place; and Matula, Motley Crew team, fourth place.
  • High: A team composed of students from Milton M. Somers Middle School and La Plata High School, first place.

The team from Somers and La Plata competed at the high-school level because the team was comprised of both middle and high school students.

Winners in the Coming Attractions challenge are:                                                  

  • Elementary: Mt. Hope/ Nanjemoy Elementary School, first place; St. Mary's Bryantown, DI Joes team, second place; William B. Wade Elementary School, Warriors team, third place; and William A. Diggs Elementary School, Stars of the Nations team, fourth place.
  • Middle: Matthew Henson Middle School, Certain Chickens team, first place; Davis, Some Random Team team, second place; and Mattawoman Middle School, Animators team, third place.
  • High: North Point, SWAG team, first place; and La Plata, Paper Street Soap Co. team, second place.

Winners in the News to Me challenge are:

  • Elementary: Wade, UF Crazy Disco Zombie Winners team, first place; Matula, Spartans team, tie for first place; Matula, Mind Benders team, second place; and Dr. James Craik Elementary School, Smarties team, third place.
  • Middle: Piccowaxen Middle School, Angry Pudding team, first place; Davis, The DInimates team, second place; and Davis, The Grape DI Hero Part IV team, third place.
  • High: North Point, Broken Fingers team, first place; and Henson, Seven Broke Girls team, second place.

The team from Henson competed at the high-school level because the team was comprised of both middle and high school students.

Winners in the Hold It! challenge are:

  • Elementary: Arthur Middleton Elementary School, Team A, first place; St. Peter's School, DI Marauders team, second place; St. Peter's School, St. Peter's Team 2, third place; and Diggs, Purple Haze team, tie for third place.
  • Middle: Somers, Extreme Egyptians team, first place; General Smallwood Middle School, Laugh-A-Lots team, second place; and Mattawoman, Constructors team, third place.
  • High: North Point, Fierce and Fab team, first place; Maurice J. McDonough High School, Tea Thyme SWAG! team, second place; and Lackey, Team B, third place.

Winners in the Project Outreach challenge are:

  • Elementary: Craik, Friends team, first place; Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School, Cookoo Kidz team, second place; Matula, Dazzling Dolphins team, third place; and Mary B. Neal Elementary School, Blue Crabs team, fourth place.
  • Middle: Smallwood, first place; St. Peter's School, Allies 4 Animals team, second place; and St. Peter's School, Storm Imaginators team, third place.

Additionally, the following teams earned special awards:

  • Spirit of DI award – for exceptional spirit, teamwork, volunteerism and sportsmanship – North Point's Broken Fingers team.
  • The Renaissance award – for outstanding design engineering or performance – Wade's Warriors team and Lackey's Team A.
  • Da Vinci – for outstanding creativity – Wade's UF Crazy Zombie Disco Winners team and Matula's Super Sprockets team.

The event is sponsored by Charles County Public Schools. Destination ImagiNation is an international program dedicated to enhancing the learning skills, creative problem solving skills, team skills, sportsmanship and knowledge of all students.

Charles County Public Schools provides 26,700 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 35 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Patricia Vaira, Title IX Coordinator and Section 504 Coordinator (students), or Keith Hettel, Section 504 Coordinator (employees/adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, Maryland 20646; (301) 932-6610/870-3814. For special accommodations call (301) 934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.