Destination Imagination

DESTINATION IMAGINATION (DI)

Destination Imagination is an awesome team-oriented extracurricular opportunity for students to learn and experience creative problem solving. It allows students to work closely together long-term on a complex project, thereby forming strong and lasting bonds of friendship. Each DI team is comprised of up to seven students who work together during the school year to solve one of the five challenges published annually by the DI organization. The students on the team produce a presentation that showcases their solution and skills, which they then perform before a panel of judges and an audience at competition. In addition, an Instant Challenge not previously seen by the team is given at the competition, on which the team then has only a few minutes to come up with an original and creative solution.

Teams first compete at the Lower Mainland Regional Tournament in early March, and then – if they qualify – at the Provincial Finals Tournament in mid-April. Teams that win the provincial finals are then invited to represent BC at the Global Finals Tournament in late May in the US. At Globals, teams from all around the world gather to compete in a friendly but high-energy tournament that typically involves over 10,000 competitors!

Palmer has a long history of excellence in DI, and has had many provincial championship teams that have gone on to compete at the Global Finals, with some teams even making it to Globals twice. Students who have been a member of a DI team – especially those who have made it to Globals – invariably state that DI is an amazingly fun, enriching and memorable high school experience. So much so, that many students and alumni who are veterans of Palmer DI teams continue with DI after graduation, such as by volunteering with the BC DI organization (helping with tournaments) or even coaching Palmer DI teams.

Learn more about DI here.