Help the Long Island Natives Get to Globals!!

Please support the Lynwood Avenue Elementary School’s Destination Imagination team as they head to the Global Finals in Kansas City, Missouri this May!

Destination Imagination (DI) is an international nonprofit educational organization dedicated to its mission “to inspire and equip youth to imagine and innovate through the creative process.” As part of this mission, DI hosts an annual competition that challenges students to work collaboratively as a team to solve open-ended STEAM-based problems.

This year, Sachem’s Lynwood Avenue Elementary School formed a seven-member DI team consisting of three 4th graders (Jordyn Lawrence, Desmond Raffaele, and Kayla Zatyk) and four 5th graders (Addison Coniker, Annaliese Emiliano, Brielle Esposito, and Rosie Licata), under the direction of team manager and 4th grade teacher, Ms. Sheryl Amallobieta. The team elected to participate in DI’s Scientific Challenge, “Blast from the Past,” which required them to “create and present a story about a character whose discovery of an artifact leads to a finding.” The challenge also required that the story include an archaeological investigation, a puppet portraying a character from the past, and two team choice elements that highlight the students’ special talents and interests. The team was provided with a $150.00 budget with which to buy supplies.

Over the course of the last six months, the students and Ms. Amallobieta worked tirelessly on the challenge, meeting for hours every week after school and on the weekends. They used the time to develop the story’s concept, design and build the set, create a life-sized puppet, and continually practice and refine their presentation.

Incorporating elements of local history, scientific exploration, mechanical engineering, and performance art, the team’s presentation illustrates how a modern-day problem can be solved by understanding and implementing the lessons of the past. The concept and production were well-received by DI’s appraisers and earned them first place medals at both the Eastern New York Regional Competition (held on 3/2/24 in Rye Brook, New York) and the New York State Competition (held on 3/23/24 in Binghamton, New York). In addition, the team received DI’s distinguished Renaissance Award at both competitions, which recognizes outstanding design, engineering, execution, and performance.

As a result of all the team’s creativity, hard work, and dedication, they have earned their rightful spot at DI’s Global Finals, which will be held in Kansas City, Missouri this May… but they will need your help to get there! With your generous contribution it will help to defray the high costs associated with registration fees, shipping, and travel expenses for the team. We are hoping to raise $10,000! Any contribution to this goal, large or small, would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you for your support. We hope you will join the effort to send this deserving team to Kansas City for their chance to shine on the world stage!