The Arkansas High School (AHS) Destination Imagination Team Placed 1st in the Senior/University Level Fine Arts Competition and placed 1st in Instant Challenge for the same division.
The team challenge is called Tricky Tales. The team members had to learn about Tricksters and how they are portrayed in literature, film, theater, and mythology, and then present a skit about how a Trickster overcomes a tricky situation. They also had to include an onstage costume change that used technical methods (mechanical engineering, physics, chemistry, computer science, etc.) and present at least one optical illusion. The team created an escape room onstage where 5 different tricksters were trapped inside and had to solve various puzzles to escape. As they were about to escape, they realized they had been tricked yet again, as one of the "trapped" tricksters was not trapped at all, but the villain who placed them there in the first place. This ah-a moment is revealed through a costume change. The AHS team consists of five seniors, Tripp Wilson, Mariah Huntley, Haylee Bustin, Kloe Witt, Mia Hartley (first picture).
The Arkansas Middle School DI team also placed 1st in their challenge, The Scientific Challenge: Up Close. The students researched microworlds and fluorescence microscopy techniques. The students created a skit where the main character falls into the microworld of a snowflake and saves the Grinches frozen heart. The team also received a high Instant Challenge score. DI Coordinator Michelle Wilson said, “They are so excited to be able to attend in person the Global Finals this year as it is their last year to compete for the Texarkana Arkansas School District. They will be able to not only participate in their challenge, but also attend the DI Global Finals Graduation Ceremony with graduating seniors from all over the country/globe.” (second Picture: AMS Team- Brooklyn Markle, Madison Beasley, Aubrey Gammon, Ryker Martin, Michelle Onipe, Sarah Boyles, Layla Johnson, not pictured: Bryson Girley)