Mount Pleasant ISD Destination Imagination (DI) continued their award-winning year as two MPISD teams competed with 573 teams from Texas, Michigan, Colorado, and Turkey at Lonestar Finals on April 12-13 at the University of Texas at Arlington. The awards ceremony was held at Globe Life Field and one MPISD team learned they would return to Global Finals this summer.

Returning to Global Finals for the second year in a row and representing E.C. Brice Elementary and Wallace Middle School, the Mystical Penguins (formerly known as the Smart Penguins Going Bananas in 2023) placed 6th out of 20 in the Improvisational category. The youngest improvisational competitors had two minutes to plan a skit including all the required elements of the challenge. Team members include Kaylyn Andrade, Judah Deal, Callie Dimon, Anna Henry, Avalyn Netro, and Eddie Olva from Brice, and Shane Dimon from Wallace.

From Wallace Middle School, the Unquackable Pduckadactyls placed 8th out of 24 teams in the Improvisational category, just missing advancing by 2 spots. Team members include Lily Henry, Ariadnna Martinez, Jannahi Castro, Caleb Townson, Aldo Orona, Ivan Flores, and Jonathan Williams.

“We are so honored to be representing MPISD, the Mount Pleasant community and Texas at Global Finals in Kansas City in May,” said MPISD DI coordinator, Jamie King. “Lonestar Finals was an amazing experience. Students shared their hard work in solution-based presentations to audiences throughout the tournament and received scores based on creativity, research, presentation, and teamwork. Our awards ceremony was held at Globe Life Field, and it was a perfect venue for our Tigers because we knocked it out of the park like World Series winners!”

The DI Global Finals will be May 20-23 in Kansas City, MO. The MPISD State advancing and Global Final Destination Imagination Teams are coached by Jamie King.

Photo: The Mystical Penguins (L to R) Judah Deal, Avalyn Netro, Callie Dimon, Shane Dimon, Anna Henry, Kaylyn Andrade, Eddie Olva