Destination ImagiNation competitors qualify for state

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March 4, 2009 — One-hundred thirty-two teams representing Cypress-Fairbanks ISD schools participated in the Gulf Coast Regional Destination ImagiNation Competition on Saturday, Feb. 28.

Forty of the 132 teams brought home 48 awards: two DaVinci Awards, given for outstanding creativity; four Renaissance awards, given for unusual solutions, skill and excellence of design; six Spirit of Discovery and Imagination (Spirit of DI) awards, given for the team that sets the standard of positive team interaction and collaboration; seven third-place awards; 13 second-place awards and 16 first-place awards.

Twenty-two winning teams will compete in the Texas Destination ImagiNation State Competition, which will be held at Cypress Woods High School (16825 Spring Cypress Road) and Spillane Middle School (17500 Jarvis Road) April 3-4, 2009.
Cypress Woods High School students Bryan Gray and Kelsey Sallade were the tournament Scholarship Winners.

State-bound elementary winners:

• Gleason Elementary School:

  • The Masterminds won first place in Operation Cooperation. Team members are Spencer Ruzicka, A.J. Sinclair, Mai Daigle, Kaiai Daniel, Shane Erwin and Ryan Erwin. The school sponsor is Patti Arechiga and the team manager is Melissa Ruzicka.

• Bang Elementary School:

  • The DI Dynamites won first place and the Renaissance Award for Outstanding Design, Engineering and Performance in Operation Cooperation. Team members are James Gutierrez, Ali Zaidi, Kevin Turner, Kaitlyn Zera, Mohammad Zaidi and Mustafa Khan. The school sponsor is Kristine Ashmead and the team manager is Kathryn Gutierrez.

  • The DI Joes won second place in Instinct Messaging. Team members are Jacob Quintero, Elizabeth Hunt, Brandon Rios, David Migl, Savannah Migl and Katy Robbins. The school sponsor is Kristine Ashmead and the team manager is Deb Quintero.

  • The Cyclones won second place in ViDIo Lit Hits. Team members are Caroline Wong, Patrick Faraldo, Nathan Schatz, Alex Turner, Logan Papinchak, Daniela Cuerno and Max Stewart. The school sponsor is Kristine Ashmead and the team managers are Lynnae Schatz and Connie Faraldo.

• Hamilton Elementary School:

  • The Billion Bolts of Brilliance won first place in Instinct Messaging. Team members are Ryan Martin, Ryan Lancaster, Ben Miller, Pooja Shankar, Esha Dewan, Hannah Phillips and Caleb Longan. The school sponsors are Betty Collette and Mary Bardwell and the team manager is John Martin.

  • The DI Darts won second place in A New Angle. Team members are Clay Allen, Kyle Allen, Cameron McConway, Brennan Passon, Eliza Piccirillo, Ryan Wall and Colby Williamson. The school sponsors are Betty Collette and Mary Bardwell and the team manager is Angi Williamson.

• Matzke Elementary School:

  • The Paw Prints won second place in Instinct Messaging. Team members are Nathan Montgomery, Chris Verrett, Marlee White, David Wells, Jordan Smith, Kayleigh Barber and Jennifer Robinson. The school sponsor and team manager is Jana Verrett.

• Keith Elementary School:

  • I.K.E. won first place in ViDIo Lit Hits. Team members are Taylor Black, Jared Cook, Jessica DeFreese, Brandon Lord, Katherine O’Connor, Cameron Walls and David Zhou. The school sponsor is Michele West and the team manager is Donna Lord.

• Ault Elementary School:

  • The DI Masterminds won first place in ViDIo Lit Hits. Team members are Brianna Edwards, Alyse Armstrong, Kegan Cunningham, Bryan Jew, Cameron Owen and Kyle Romlein. The school sponsor is Kimberly Drake and the team manager is Lisa Edwards.

  • The DI Dudes won first place and the Renaissance Award for Outstanding Design, Engineering and Performance in Private DI. Team members are Erika Hall, Maggie Reilly, Katie Baker, Mallory Fondren, Mason Coleman, Hailey Hughes and Kenny Grau. The school sponsor is Kimberly Drake and the team manager is Janet Hall.

  • The DInventors won first place and the Renaissance Award in A New Angle. Team members are Bailey Dougherty, Wesley Foster, Trevor Koch, Alex LaPlant, Gabi Sarmiento, Emily Vela and Haiden Maples. The school sponsor is Kimberly Drake and the team manager is Heather Maples.

  • The DI-VJs won second place and the DaVinci Award for Outstanding Creativity in ViDIo Lit Hits. Team members are Garrett Duncan, Grace Duncan, Channing Drake, Luke Cusak, Craig Drozdowski and Kaylie Hidalgo. The school sponsor is Kimberly Drake and the team managers are Jana Duncan and Kimberly Drake.

• Sampson Elementary School:

  • The Superstars won first place and the Spirit of DI Award for Exceptional Spirit, Teamwork, Volunteerism and Sportsmanship in Private DI. Team members are Will Hudson, Alex Duensing, Kate Laymon, Haley Brusen, Yash Chulki, Christian Sullivan and Sharon Zhou. The school sponsor is Carolyn Young and the team manager is Angela Duensing.

Other elementary winners:

• Hamilton Elementary School: The Rockets placed second in Operation Cooperation;

• Millsap Elementary School: The Black Holes placed second in Operation Cooperation;

• Adam Elementary School: The Acorns placed third in Instinct Messaging;

• Keith Elementary School: The Brain Waves placed third in Instinct Messaging;

• Post Elementary School: The Detonation Crew placed third in ViDIo Lit Hits;

• Ault Elementary School: The Unexpected Super Sleuths placed second in Private DI;

• Sampson Elementary School: FDI placed second in Private DI; and teacher Heather Alexander won the Spirit of DI Award for Exceptional Spirit, Teamwork, Volunteerism and Sportsmanship for appraising the instant challenge;

• Willbern Elementary School: Angles to the Max placed third in A New Angle;

• Yeager Elementary School: The DI Dominators won the Spirit of DI Award for Exceptional Spirit, Teamwork, Volunteerism and Sportsmanship in Operation Cooperation; and

• Birkes Elementary School: The Invincible DInomites won the Renaissance Award for Outstanding Design, Engineering and Performance in Instinct Messaging.

State-bound middle school winners:

• Hamilton Middle School:

  • Team Squirrel won first place in Operation Cooperation. Team members are Erin Curby, Patrick Martin, Mitch Schockley, Ross Tuzin and Kirsten Williamson. The school sponsor is Amanda Herber and the team manager is Angi Williamson.

  • The Lime Green Lunatics won first place in Private DI. Team members are Tate Walker, Will Davis, Luke Hurley, Elizabeth Isaly, Kendall Thurston, Andrea Brucceleri and Reghan Conrey. The school sponsor is Amanda Herber and the team managers are Amy Walker and Patty Davis.

• Spillane Middle School:

  • The Hexathinkers won first place in Instinct Messaging. Team members are Leah Minton, Madison Tabor, Audrey Kohler, Kaylie Maguire, Kelli Mosher, Samantha Routh and Valerie Mosher. The school sponsor is Lea Dent and the team managers are Suzy Mosher and Shawna Maguire.

  • FDI won first place in ViDIo Lit Hits. Team members are Kyndall Irwin, Melissa Hall, Patrick Finnerty, Kali Grau, Cierra Zutz, Hudson LaPlant and Logan Hamilton. The school sponsor is Lea Dent and the team managers are Robert LaPlant and Ian Hamilton.

• Goodson Middle School:

  • S.O.S. won first place in Instinct Messaging. Team members are Aranka Barbe, Sofie Patzak, Darcy Hinton, Grace Seidl, Paige Gunderson and Josh Bullock. The school sponsors are Kelly Wallis, Camille Bunker and Nancy Daues and the team managers are Shulamith Barbe and Brigitte Rothenbucher.

  • High Five won second place in ViDIo Lit Hits. Team members are Kaili Erickson, Emily Kelley, Taylor Hunt, Brooke Jones, Emily Thayer, Alli Quinn and Manaswi Marri. The school sponsors are Kelly Wallis, Camille Bunker and Nancy Daues and the team manager is Laura Hunt.

Other middle school winners:

• Bleyl Middle School: The DI-NAMITES placed third in Operation Cooperation; and WilDImagination placed third in Private DI;

• Spillane Middle School: The CD Sea Creatures won third place and the DaVinci Award for Outstanding Creativity in Instinct Messaging; and teacher Senisa Blume won the Spirit of DI Award for Exceptional Spirit, Teamwork, Volunteerism and Sportsmanship for appraising in the instant challenge.

State bound high school winners:

• Jersey Village High School:

  • The Duck Tape Ninjas won first place in ViDIo Lit Hits. Team members are Lauren Coats, Laetan Gaspard, Krislyn Koehn, Ally Pietrowski and Trey Stoker. The school sponsor is Christina Reif and the team manager is Joan Coats.

  • The Velcro Masters won first place in DI eXtreme. Team members are Kurt Bilanoski, Jesse Pyle, Jordan Fauser, Sarah Wisterman, Lee Barker and Katie Bilanoski. The school sponsor is Christina Reif and the team manager is Curtis Haverty.

• Cypress Woods High School:

  • Cy Woods Number One won first place and the Spirit of DI Award for Exceptional Spirit, Teamwork, Volunteerism and Sportsmanship in Challenge D and won first place in DI eXtreme. Team members are Kelsey Sallade, Bryan Gray, Phillip Wozny and Matthew Wheeler. The school sponsor is Margaret Wallace and the team manager is Becky Sallade.

Other high school winners:

• Jersey Village High School: The Velcro Masters placed third and won the Spirit of DI Award for Exceptional Spirit, Teamwork, Volunteerism and Sportsmanship in ViDIo Lit Hits.

• Cy-Fair High School: C.R.E.W. placed second in Challenge C.

• Cypress Falls High School: Freeze-Dried Falls placed second in Private DI.