This year, PLP 8-10 once again participated in Destination Imagination (DI), a global creative problem-solving competition where teams tackle challenges in STEM, fine arts, improvisation, and service learning. The competition emphasizes teamwork, innovation, and critical thinking, while also requiring teams to develop a compelling story that ties their solution together.
I competed at the regional level in the Technical Challenge, which pushed us to blend engineering with creativity. Our task? Design two machines—one to construct a tower and another to break it. But it wasn’t just about building and destruction; we had to integrate our machines into a story, making the challenge multi layered. Every element, from our design choices to our presentation, had to connect to the narrative we created.
Our team went through multiple iterations to perfect our machines. We started by brainstorming different design concepts, sketching out blueprints, and testing small-scale models to see what would work best. One of our biggest challenges was coming up with a feasible idea, as none seemed to work, so we went with a more rushed design, that will definitely be improved on by the provincial tournament.
A big part of DI is making sure our technical solution fits into an engaging story. We wanted to ensure that our machines weren’t just functional but also had a reason to exist within the narrative. Our team developed a storyline that showed what it’s like to become too greedy and lose everything. Every aspect of our presentation, from our set design to our characters, helped bring our solution to life. Unfortunately, our story and script were too ambitious, as they took too long to present.
Reflecting on DI in PLP 9, I can see how much I’ve grown in my ability to think critically, problem-solve, and work within a team. Last year, I focused more on being a supporting member, and listening to the older kids in my group, but this year, I had to step up in leadership and help my group members. One of the biggest challenges was keeping everyone on track, and trying to coordinate meetings but we overcame it by recognizing we have to support one another in this. Whether it was troubleshooting mechanical failures, refining our story, or managing time efficiently, this experience pushed me to improve in ways I hadn’t expected.
I learned a lot from the regional tournament, including ways my group can improve for the future. A few major takeaways were, better time management, stronger communication, and more testing before competition day. DI has shown me the importance of adaptability and creative problem-solving, skills that go beyond just this competition.