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Aztec Gold Online News

Aztec Gold Online News

Aztec Gold Online News

DI team travels to state

DI+team+travels+to+state

DI team travels to state

By Ashley Salazar

 

Eyes glued to the M.C. in the Eastlake High school gym, members of the DI team dry their sweaty palms and calm their racing hearts as they listen for the winners of the competition. With the announcement that they are the overall winners of the competition, screams and cheers erupt.

 

The Destination Imagination students owe much of their success to team work and a strong leader in freshman Pauline Rasmussen.

 

“Our team has been through ups and downs,” freshman Carolina Arredondo said. “On competition, the energy was negative and nerve-racking. Pauline helped us stay grounded and compete.”

 

Destination Imagination is a club where teams compete based on how outgoing, unique and creative the group is. Their skills are put to the test with challenges requiring the use of both STEM and 21st Century skills. Each team is given a list of projects to select from and the team has to build a small structure that holds as much weight as possible. All with a twist of a communist themed play.

 

“We tackled the project prompt with a musical about the Russian Revolution of 1980 since most of us are all involved with music at school,” freshman Russell Acosta said.

 

On Feb. 24, the group received first place which means the team and Rasmussen traveled to Dallas for the state championship. They will be competing for a change to go to Globals in Nashville, Tennessee then possibly finals in Poland, by making new and improved changes.

 

“The main. focus is monologue,” freshman Mia Gonzalez said. “So, we are going to add more as well as our music components to enhance our challenges.”

 

Missing her chance to be an official member Rasmussen entered the club as “team manager” to help support the group with whatever problems they encounter, whether it be moral support or makeup on the day of competition.

 

“I entered the school year late, so when they already submitted names it was too late for me,” Rasmussen said. “I help out and support the team, knowing they’re willing to get far.”

 

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