Stoughton High Construction Challenge Team Places Second at States, Earns Invite to Global Competition

After Stoughton High's Construction Challenge Team R.E.E.L. successfully conquered an engineering challenge, which required a mastery of various science, math, public speaking, writing and art and design tasks, this group of seven students, along with advisor Tim Norton, are faced with a new kind of challenge: Raising dough. And a lot of it. 

And they're willing to give you the shirts off their back to get it.

Following a first place finish at the Destination Imagination regional competition at Whitman-Hanson on March 16, Team R.E.E.L., which competes in the Structural division, placed second at states, held March 30 at WPI. 

As a result, Team R.E.E.L. (Captain Sarah Purcell, Captain Dylan Freitas, Beth Sloane, Leslie Camilo, Jenna Morris, David Bunce-Grenon and Michael Cardoso) have now qualified for Destination Imagination's annual global competition in Knoxville, Tennessee from May 22-25. 

But they need help to get there, with flights costing about $500 per person and room and board costing another $700 per person. It's about $10,000 total.  

Construction Challenge/Destination Imagination is a competition rooted in science but has components involving art and design, acting, and writing, appealing to students with a variety of academic strengths. Each group will have a scientific challenge and as part of the presentation will have to design a set with props, come up with a story and draft a script, and act out a skit in costume. 

Students aren't just scored on scientific prowess; they are judged for all components which go into this event. Take for example Morris. Her murals for Team R.E.E.L. (she made 36 feet of paintings) earned her a Renaissance Award at Whitman Hanson and at WPI.

The Structural Competition involves building a structure of at least five different materials which has to be able to support the weight of compression and contortion. Team R.E.E.L.'s structure, made up of materials like cardboard, glue and bamboo, weighed only 41 grams and withstood 515 pounds of pressure and 12 rams at WPI, far more than it held at the Whitman-Hanson competition. The team incorporated a Superhero-themed skit into its presentation.

"It's not easy to win something like this," Norton said.

For the students, the feeling of winning was almost too good to be true. 

"I forgot to turn my alarm off [Sunday morning] and thought it was a dream," Cardoso said, recalling the feeling he had when he woke up at 6 a.m., the same time he got up the day before to go to the competition. 

Now, these students will have the chance to meet about 15,000 students representing 45 states, 7 Canadian provinces and 13 other countries at globals, according to Norton.

"Where else do you literally get to meet, hang out with and interact with kids from 13 different countries," Norton said, adding the benefit of getting to "experience different cultures."

Purcell and Freitas joined Construction Challenge at SHS last year. Their other team members joined them this year. There are about 35 students in the program at SHS in total. 

"We need to bring it to the next level," Bunce-Grenon said of what the team needs to do to get ready for globals. Sloane said the team needs to perfect its script. 

Getting there is the first challenge though.

Purcell said at Destination Imagination competitions judges "want us thinking outside the box." An example of this is the more complex way Team R.E.E.L. chose to display its backdrop at the last two competitions. 

They're also thinking outside the box in terms of fundraising. 

They've created a fundraising website, http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/send-these-kids-to-global-finals, and have a number of various rewards for donating. For $50 you'll get the "shirt off our backs" - receiving the same shirt the team will be wearing to Tennessee. For $5, you'll get a postcard sent to you from globals; For $75 you can meet the team and watch them rehearse; and for $500, they'll even cater a BBQ for 15 people. 

For more information, visit the team's fundraising website, or email advisor Tim Norton at  t_norton@stoughtonschools.org.