Only thing sweeter than winning gold at States is fundraiser helping the team get to finals in Tennessee
By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — “Whoopie” isn’t just a celebratory utterance; it’s a way to help Limestone’s Destination ImagiNation champions make their way down to the Global Finals in Tennessee.
Elementary Level Destination ImagiNation students of the Limestone Community School traveled down to Orono on March 31 to compete in the state DI finals and brought the gold home with them. With this win and a previous victory at Regionals, the seven-member team has earned their slot in global competition May 23-26 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Destination ImagiNation is a non-profit organization that provides educational programs for students to learn and experience creativity, teamwork and problem solving. Destination ImagiNation teams are extracurricular student groups that tackle challenges presented by the non-profit organization.
Limestone’s champion team selected the Solar Stage Challenge. According to the DI webpage, Solar Stage challenge requirements included creating and presenting a theatrical performance that tells a story about the use of solar energy, integrating research about past and/or current uses of solar energy, designing and creating a solar energy prototype that demonstrates a new way to collect, capture and use solar energy; teams were also required to design and provide theatrical lighting to illuminate the presentation and to create special theatrical effects.
Though Limestone’s gold medal DI team has been fundraising since last summer, they’re still much fundraising to be done before the team attends the Global Finals.
To help defer travel costs, Limestone’s DI students from elementary to high school are busy with their Whoopie Pie fundraiser. Hundreds of homemade batches of Maine’s favorite dessert will be whipped up by volunteers to help send elementary students to the Global Finals and help the upper and middle-level DI teams prepare for next year’s travel costs.
Whoopie pies can be ordered in advanced by asking any DI team member or by placing a special Whoopie Pie order at Al-Bear’s by calling 325-2114.
Members of Limestone’s gold medal-donning elementary DI team include Amelia Roy, Tom Pinette, Megan Tucker, Taylor Labreck, Taylor Devoe, Karoline Dillenbeck and Karson Albert; their coaches are David and Alva King.
