Fallston Destination Imagination Team To Compete Globally

Seven young adults from have creatively overcome challenges through Destination Imagination, winning at both regional and state level competitions.

The group is now on its way to the global Destination Imagination competition in Knoxville, TN—if its members can raise the funds to get there.

Destination Imagination, or DI, is a nonprofit organization that provides education opportunities for youth teaching teamwork, critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills, according to the Destination Imagination website.

Bill Kruzynski, whose daughter Caitlin is a member of the Fallston DI team, said he has noticed changes in his daughter through her participation in DI.

"Frankly as a result of this her social skills have tremendously improved," Kruzynski said of Caitlin, who is in 10th grade. "She looks at obstacles and challenges from a number of perspectives."

He said his daughter doesn't just look at things from her own point of view, but also at how others will feel about a situation. And he attributes this way of thinking to Destination Imagination.

"This is the first year she’s been involved in it and I’m really, really proud," Kruzynski said.

Teams are ultimately tested with different challenges and given scores based on performance.

"The Fallston High School team not only placed first in their regional and state competitions, but they also received the highest scores for each component/measurement of the competitions this year," wrote Kruzynski in an email to Patch.

According to the team's website, it was one of two teams, out of 227 total, to earn a perfect score in each category at the state competition.

The team members' hard work has earned them a spot in the global competition, which will take place May 23 through 27 at the University of Tennessee.

The team has raised more than half of the nearly $7,000 needed to pay for the team and its manager, a Fallston High School teacher, to go to the competition. But it still needs about $3,000 to pay for the trip.

With this fundraising goal in mind, the group is holding a car wash Saturday May 12 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. behind the . That's at the intersection of Rock Spring Road and Red Pump in Bel Air.

Those interested in contributing to the team can also make a donation online here.

Do you plan to support this cause? Have you or anyone you know benefitted from Destination Imagination? Start the discussion by leaving a comment below.