“You are at a Festival in Marrakech, Morocco. Your goal while you’re there is to collect all of the red balloons,” says Amy Hinkle, one of the sponsors of Destination Imagination.

Looking around at an empty classroom, a stack of cardboard boxes, and a couple other people, the scene is a far cry from a Moroccan festival. However, this is what Destination Imagination is all about.

Destination Imagination (DI), is a club where students work together to engage in improvisation and problem solving. The current club at RCHS is composed of senior Kyle Goodbar and juniors Abby Brooks and Garrett Stillwell. 

“Destination Imagination is a program offered here at the high school that challenges students to create a solution that is out of the box and unique,” said Stillwell. “You have to think on your feet to adapt a story to points you wouldn’t expect while following guidelines.”

Essentially, the team is given a scenario and a goal within that. They only get two minutes to think before they have to perform a skit that acts out what they want to do and how, with the help of 10 cardboard boxes as props. They have up to five minutes for their skit and can take one 30 second intermission during which they are given a twist to the story that they have to include.

“You’re given some type of challenge,” explains Stillwell. “There are many different types of challenges, such as fine arts, technical, engineering, and improv. Each performance is about 5-10 minutes long for the main challenge and 2-5 minutes for the instant challenge. We compete with high schools from around the states and, if we advance, from around the world.”

Brooks and Sitwell discussed what made them join Destination Imagination in the first place.

“It’s another community that I could join to be myself and meet new people. And it’s been fun the past years I’ve done it,” said Brooks.

“Ms. Hinkle made me and I’ve done it since 3rd grade,” said Stillwell. “It is something I have always looked forward to and have enjoyed.  Every challenge is unique and creative, so you feel like it is something out of the ordinary.”

Destination Imagination has an upcoming competition on March 19 with other schools in the area. The team was asked how they are feeling about the competition.

“I’m pretty confident. There’s not a lot of high schools around here that do DI,” said Stillwell.

Stillwell spoke about his experience at Destination Imagination competitions in previous years.

“In my first year, our team made it all the way to globals and we got to stay on the campus at the University of Tennessee for about a week,” said Stillwell. “We got to meet tons of people from around the US and other countries. I made globals again last year, but it was virtual due to covid.”

Stillwell said, “DI is a unique club at our school; it involves more thinking on your feet and shooting from the hip so to speak. It is a fun, exciting experience that is distinct from other programs offered at our school.”