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This year Robert has been practicing with the "Bees" team for
Destination ImagiNation (or DI). Their contest, in the Raising Stars
category, Big Bug's Bad Day. The kids had to write an original skit, build props and make costumes
about a bug's bad day. They've been planning and practicing weekly for months, and today was the big day.
Which started early for us to drive out to Winchester where Robert and team was competing and Sarah was
assessing. We made it in time for the big parade of teams into the Gym.
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The Bees had a couple hours before their turn for the contest. So lots of group photos were taken then we wandered
around and watched other teams and other contests.
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Robert and I watched several of the Big Bug teams before it was time for him to join the rest of the Bees and
put on his costume. I know I'm biased, but I thought they did a great job. Valerie, the Team Manager, sent
around a couple videos of the practices and the actual performance was much better. Just as you'd hope.
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This is the other team from Robert's school. The room was a regular classroom (some contests were in the Gym;
Sarah was working in the music room -- which needed more air). First the kids come in and stand behind the
blue line. Then the team is introduced and there was a small joke to loosen everyone up. (Like, "What you call
a fly with no wings?" Or, "What does a bee sit on?" Find your nearest 6 year old if you don't know
the answers).
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Here are the Bees getting ready, being announced and starting their skit.
Robert was a fly with green wings; Eleanore is bee, Cydney is the lady bug, Olivia is the blue bug and
Phoebe is the green frog who eats up the frogs before getting a tummy ache and sinking or falling off her
lily pad.
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After the skit, there is a Q&A session with the assessors. They get the kids to fill them on the what was
happening, who all contributed and how. And generally show appreciation for all the hard work. (For older
kids, they score the teams to determine who goes on to the next round, state then national -- that's what
Sarah was up to.)
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And then the Rising Stars got certificates, ribbons and another photo op with their team manager.
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There was second contest of the day called an Instant Challenge. For that, the teams get a secret challenge and
have five minutes to meet it. Then they have to keep it a secret the rest of the day. Robert said the Big Bug
teams had to invent their own dinosaurs. But before that, Robert had some down time (we had lunch and watched several
other contests between the skit and the IC).
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With that Instant Challenge, how could we pass by "Dinosaurland" on the way home without stopping?
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