Fifteen Mount Pleasant Independent School District Destination Imagination (DI) teams competed against over 100 teams from the East Texas Region of DI. Eight MPISD teams brought home medals for their efforts and two of those are advancing to the state tournament, the Lone Star Finals, in April.

A Destination Imagination Team Challenge is an open-ended project that teams work on over an extended period of time, usually 2-4 months. There are seven new Team Challenges each year: Engineering, Technical, Scientific, Fine Arts, Improvisational, Service Learning, and Early Learning Challenge (Rising Stars!).

The Unquackable Pduckadactyls from Wallace Middle School placed 1st in the Improvisational Challenge and have advanced to state. Known as the Comeback Rubber Duckies in 2023, they are the back-to-back Regional Champions, the Reigning 2023 State Champions, and 2023 Global Finalists. Advancing team members are Lily Henry, Ariadnna Martinez, Jannahi Castro, Caleb Townson, Aldo Orona, Ivan Flores, and Jonathan Williams.

The Mystical Penguins from Brice Elementary and Wallace Middle School placed 2nd in the Improvisational Challenge and have advanced to state. Known as the Smart Penguins Going Bananas in 2023, they are the Reigning 2023 State Champions, and 2023 Global Finalists. Advancing team members are Kaylyn Andrade, Callie Dimon, Shane Dimon, Avalyn Netro, Anna Henry, Judah Deal, and Eddie Olva.

The Flying Piggie Pilots from P.E. Wallace Middle School and Annie Sims Elementary medaled in 3rd place in the Engineering Challenge. Team members include Abigail Tolentino, Sebastian Otero, Sebastian Cates, Joahn Balderas, Annalie Mata, Kinlee Castro, and Liam Boyd.

From Brice, the Teleporting Panda Blobs medaled in 5th place in the Engineering Challenge. Team members were Jakeb Aguilar, Giovannie Contreras, Kijani Ofori-Atta, Gian Gutierrez, Jacob Hernandez, Ian Rosewell, and Beckett Barkley.

From Wallace, the Fearless Ninja Chickens medaled in 5th place in the Improvisational Challenge. Team members include Andrea Garcia, Ivania Jimenez, Victoria Trejo, and Braxton Godoy.

MPISD also had three teams that medaled in the Rising Star division, an early learners’ challenge that offers simple experiences with the creative process, and gives young kids preschool through 2nd grade experience with working together. From Fowler, the Shocking Eels included team members Alexi Ayala, Landon Blackburn, Shedrick Brown, Christian Martinez, Justain Norman, and Kevin Paloblanco. The Sims Tiger Sharks included Caleb Crabb, Madilyn Howard, Kaidence Kelly, Liam Litke, Beau Malone, Zion Palmer, and Lucas Mata-Sanchez. And from Corprew the Legendary Mythical Goblin Sharks was made up of Ryder Allen, Kasper Hines, Cecilia Sanchez, Cristobal Tapia, and Madden Watkins.

Also competing for MPISD were the Japanese Bobtail Pirates from Sims who placed 7th in the Engineering Challenge. The team included Camila Cates, Laura Ethridge, Aaron Garcia, and Sam Jones. The Barking Bulldog Builders from Corprew placed 6th in the Engineering Challenge. Bulldogs included Joseph Adame, Nylah Bell, Kenley Collier, and Jaime Gallardo. From Wallace the Pumpkin Spice Mice, Piper Martin and Kadence Stephens, placed 6th in the Fine Arts in Motion challenge. Also from Wallace, the Unidentified Flying Cats including Dannen Carroll, Jake Jones, and Emmalyn Thurman placed 6th in the Scientific Challenge. No, No, Not Me from Fowler placed 8th in the Scientific challenge. Team members include Diva Desai, Hayzlie Gonzalez, Messiah Lewis, Ezequiel Martinez, Ariana Ramirez, and Jacob Sanchez. Also from Fowler, The Banana Squad made up of Bruno De La Hoya, Mallory Mancera, Damian Martinez, Aaron Mendoza, and Braedyn Reynolds placed 10th in the Engineering challenge. And from Brice, Dragons Eating Bamboo placed 6th in the Improvisational challenge. Team members are Shirley Chen, Stella Deal, Kallie-Ireland Enright, Miranda Martinez, Alan Perez, and Sophia Robertson.

The Unquackable Pduckadactyls from Wallace Middle School and The Mystical Penguins from Brice Elementary and Wallace Middle School will compete again at the Lone Star Finals at the University of Texas at Arlington on April 12 and 13. The MPISD Destination Imagination Teams are coached by Jamie King with assistance from Adrianna Mata and Maria Cates (Sims), Sisi Aguilar, Cendy Zuniga and Ritchell DeLaHoya (Fowler ), Jack Jones, Amber Ring, and Kristina Broadway (Wallace), Candace Watkins and Kylie Collier (Corprew), and Elda Hernandez, Sayra Netro, and Amber Ring (Brice).

Photos:

1. The State Qualifying Unquackable Pduckadactyls from Wallace

2. The State Qualifying Mystical Penguins from E.C. Brice and Wallace