17 New York Destination Imagination Teams Shine at the 2024 Global Finals

Destination Imagination is an international, project-based educational program that encourages innovation, teamwork, and creative problem-solving. It’s open to students from pre-K through grade 12, as well as university students. Its Global Finals is the culminating tournament with the top teams from countries around the world presenting their work in their respective Team Challenges. The NY teams, which consisted of 88 total students, qualified for the Global Finals by finishing in 1st or 2nd place at the 2024 NY Affiliate Tournament in Binghamton, NY on March 30, 2024.

“Team New York excelled at Global Finals in 2024, garnering the best results we’ve seen in several years! Not only did they show the ultimate in creativity, teamwork, originality, and perseverance, but they were a stellar representation of our great state and made us all very proud,” said Josh Diamond, Affiliate Director and Eastern Regional Director. “We also recognize every one of the 65 teams that started on the DI journey in the fall of 2023 and competed in the NY regional and state tournaments. We aim to bring this impactful program to even more students, schools, and communities in the coming years.”

Each NY team researched, planned, created, and presented their solutions to one of seven STEAM-based (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) challenges, ultimately earning an opportunity to compete in Kansas City. At Global Finals, the individual teams showcased their hard work in front of a panel of appraisers and enthusiastic DI supporters. The experience is designed to help inspire and equip student participants with invaluable 21st century skills, creative outlets, and the confidence needed to succeed in school, careers, and beyond.

New York Team Results

All 17 NY teams were recognized for their outstanding solutions to complex challenges that require a host of skills in the STEAM disciplines, plus interpersonal skills and dedication. The full 2024 NY results can be found here and global results here.

The following NYDI teams placed among the top 10 finishers:

Wonderful Wizards, Lakeland CSD: The team placed first of 41 teams in the elementary level engineering challenge, Going the Distance, which required using engineering skills and tools to solve different challenges including launching beanbags and telling a story about what happens when things do not go exactly as planned. The team was also awarded the prestigious DaVinci Award, given to a team for having a unique approach to a solution, risk taking, and outstanding creativity.

Toto-ly Oz-some Girls, Blind Brooke-Rye UFSD: The team placed first out of 35 teams in the elementary school level fine arts challenge, In Motion, where the students developed their acting and creative skills by bringing a work of visual art to life and creating a piece of kinetic art.

Long Island Natives, Sachem CSD: The team placed second out of 38 teams in the elementary level of the scientific challenges, Blast From the Past, which required the team to blend scientific research and performance art to present a story about a character whose discovery of an artifact leads to a finding.

The Questers, Lakeland, CSD: The team placed eighth out of 38 teams in the elementary level of the Service Learning Challenge, Uncharted, where they were tasked with designing a community-based project which also included a fantasy story about a character that goes on a quest.

The Beech Bros, Lakeland CSD: The team placed ninth out of 30 teams in the middle level engineering challenge, Going the Distance, which required using engineering skills and tools to solve different challenges including launching beanbags and telling a story about what happens when things do not go exactly as planned.

The following NY teams also placed in their respective challenges:

Pinball Heroes/Technical Challenge

• Buffalo Bosses, Orchard Park DI Boosters, elementary level
• Ossining Owls, Ossining DI, elementary level
• Fresh Empire, Lakeland CSD, middle level

Blast From The Past/Scientific Challenge

• The Kooky Brainiacs, Blind Brook-Rye UFSD, elementary level
• Undecided, Orchard Park DI Boosters, middle level
• The Roomba Republic, Somers CSD, middle level
• D.I.amonds, Lakeland CSD, secondary level

In Motion/Fine Arts Challenge

• D.I.namic Artchitects, Lakeland CSD, elementary level
• Queen Quartet, Lakeland CSD, middle level

So Extra/Improv

• DI Duo, Lakeland CSD, elementary level
• Supreme Sloppers, Orchard Park DI Boosters, middle level
• Sir Henry’s Surrealist Henchmen, Dobbs Ferry UFSD, secondary level

To learn more about NYDI, please visit us at https://www.nydi.org or contact [email protected].

About Destination Imagination

Destination Imagination, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) volunteer-led non-profit organization whose purpose is to inspire and equip students to become the next generation of innovators and leaders. The organization is a leader in project-based learning experiences, where students work together in teams to solve open-ended STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) and service learning Challenges and then present their solutions at tournaments. Destination Imagination has impacted more than one million students. To learn more, please visit http://destinationimagination.org.