The INDEPENDENT, July 5, 2000
Page 9
Home-schooled team ties for first in Destination Imagination test
By Judy Hill
The INDEPENDENT inter-
viewed Roman Mattus, 15, of
Vernonia, back in April about
his Oregon Home Education
Network Destination ImagiNa-
tion team, which had just won
the state DI championship. The
home-schooled team, their
managers and parents were
gearing up to travel to the Uni
versity of Iowa at Ames for the
DI Global Finals.
Mattus said then, “I believe
my team is a fine example of
what youth today are capable
of accomplishing.”
True enough. The seven-
member team has returned vic
torious, tied for first place with
Michigan’s Coon Rapids High
School in the DI Global Finals,
held at Ames, Iowa, May 24-
27. They competed against 27
teams in their division. Their
wins on the state and global
levels represent firsts for a
home-schooled DI team.
The team, coached by Team
Managers and moms Christine
Webb and Lori Raymond in
Webb’s North Plains garage,
had to raise $10,000 in just six
weeks in order to afford the trip
to Ames.
Destination Imagination team is shown at the Global Finals in front of their self-propelled
obstacle course for eggs. In back row from left are Caitlin Letts, Jake Edmunds, Matthew
Letts and Alaina Grimm; front from left are Roman Mattus, Lauren Grimm and Keegan O’Con
nor.
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Denise Mattus said every
one connected with the team
was incredibly busy during
those six weeks. There were
car washes, a spaghetti feed,
sales of chocolate covered
cherries and a huge garage
sale of donated items. Cash
donations helped, too.
“People were really gener
ous,” said Raymond.
Over 8,000 kids, in 700
teams from around the world,
were present at the competi
tion. Some 20 teams were
home-schooled groups. The DI
web site estimates that over
15,000 people attended the
events.
the judges in three minutes.
The second part of the com
petition involves a longer term
project called a Team Chal
lenge. The 2000 DI theme was
“Food for Thought.” Teams
choose from six sub-categories
such as “It’s not Impastable!,”
“Fruit Roller Coaster” and “In
stant Pudding Improv,” each of
which represented a different
type of problem solving sce
nario.
The OHEN team chose
“Eggsploration,” an obstacle
course challenge through
which five raw eggs must pass
unbroken. The presentation
had to be in the form of an
artistic skit, possibly including a
plot, costumes, music and a
spontaneous element added
by the judges at the last
minute. The teams are judged
not only on how well they inter
pret the challenge but also on
humor and spontaneity. Fun is
a big part of DI.
In addition to Mattus, the
champion team members in
clude Jake Edmonds, Aloha;
Lauren and Alaina Grimm,
North Plains; Caitlin and
Matthew Letts, Beaverton; and
Keegan O’Connor, SW Port
land.
Raymond said that after a
summer break, the team and
managers will assemble in the
fall to begin work on the next DI
challenge. Only this time they
will have a whole year to plan
and perfect their act.
K id s ’ a c tiv itie s
a t H e a d S ta rt
DI, an outgrowth of Odyssey
of the Mind, encourages and
Summer youth activities of
rewards creativity, teamwork
fered at Vernonia Head Start
and problem solving. OM Asso
include the following program
ciation, Inc., the non-profit or
for July 10-19:
ganization that sponsors DI,
July 10 - Cooking, Garden
encourages creativity and di ing, Drama, and Music
vergent thought in a world ob
July 11 - Ceramics 9:30-
sessed with “the right answer.” 1:30 Kindergarten, 1st grade
Its yearly challenges to teams,
July 12 - Ceramics 9:30-
from kindergarten through col 11:30 3rd, 4th grades
lege, involve projects that sup
July 13 - Ceramics 9:30-
port creativity and teamwork.
11:30, 5th, 6th grades
July 1 7 - Cooking, Garden
Tournaments are held at dif
ferent levels, and consist of two ing, Drama, and Music
July 18 - Bike Safety with
parts related to a yearly theme.
In the Instant Challenge cate Vernonia City Police 9:30-
gory, teams are given a sce 11:30 All ages.
July 19 - Biking 9:00-12:00
nario to problem solve. They
must brainstorm the solution in Kindergarten through 2nd
four minutes and perform it for grade, bring your own lunch.
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