[Steppes] Off Topic--Looking for a Destination Imagination Appraiser

[Liz Wilson]

As some of you know, my ten year old girls participate in Destination
Imagination.  Every year we need to find an appraiser to help judge
the competition.  This requires attending a training session on a Sat
in Jan or Feb, plus working as an appraiser for a full day (Feb 26).
You receive a t shirt, breakfast, lunch and snacks.  This is an intellectually-
oriented competition that emphasizes creativity and teamwork, although it rarely
has anything to do with the Middle Ages or Renaissance. 
(One of the high school teams last year did do an 8 minute musical about
 Anne Boleyn though, so you never know).

Some of the challenges are theatre-based and some
are technical or scientific.  Kids are supposed to solve the challenge cheaply, and
using things like trash, duct tape and pvc pipe to make props and costumes (sound familiar?)
Kids of all ages through high school compete in five or six different
challenges,  although most of the teams are elementary level. 
I can find out more about the training dates for anyone who is interested. 
I believe this program used to be called Odyssey of the Mind.

This year they are asking that we find appraisers by December 10
if possible.  We are more than welcome to provide more than one
appraiser.  The person or persons will probably NOT be judging our
team or challenge but will probably be assigned to something else.

So, please let me know by private e-mail if you would be interested
in being an appraiser for Destination Imagination!  College students, teachers, 
and retirees make great appraisers but people of all ages and professions are more than
welcome (high school students need to have DI experience to be appraisers).
They do need a firm commitment for both training and the tournament.

 It's a lot of fun, and something I plan to do once I'm no longer
coaching a team.

Christianna