Chuckey-Doak Middle School and Chuckey-Doak High School have qualified for Destination ImagiNation, Inc.'s annual Global Finals competition set for May 21-24 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Chuckey-Doak High School Imagineers took first-place honors in the high school division, and Chuckey-Doak Middle School Geek Squad took third-place honors in the middle school division and at Destination ImagiNation's Tennessee state finals April 12 in Nashville.

Ninety-six teams participated in the state competition at David Lipscomb University.

C-DHS team members include: Morgan Thomas, Nadareh Naseri, Ariel Norton, Kaitlin Seaton and Caitlin Miller. Ginger Naseri, parent, serves as team manager.

This year is their fourth year in the competition, beginning when then were in seventh grade at C-DMS.

C-DMS team members this year include: Dustin Cobble, Bryan Pickle, Collin Crews, Matt Hensley and Emily Russ. Linda Hensley serves as team manager.

Hensley, Greene County Gifted Education Program teacher also serves as team manager for the Doak Elementary School Mind Warriors, which received fourth place in the "Hit or Myth" Challenge.

The C-DMS Team participated in the "Switch! Challenge," in which team members were charged with designing and building a structure made completely of wood and glue, which is tested for strength in two different orientations.

They researched a manufactured item called a "Switch! Item" and created and presented a story demonstrating two different purposes for the item.

The C-DHS team participated in the "Chorific! Challenge," in which team members were charged with using improvisation and creativity to tackle an ordinary chore.

The DI Global Finals competition at the University of Tennessee provides participants the opportunity to match wits against top performers in a celebration of innovation and critical thinking.

Diversity will be highlighted in the opening ceremonies May 21 at UT's Thompson-Boling Arena as members from each participating state, province, or country display their respective flags.

About 8,500 participants and 6,000 spectators from more than 15 countries are expected to attend.

The University of Tennessee's Department of Conferences will host a special Tennessee DI Day on Friday, May 23, for parents, educators, and anyone else interested in learning more about creativity and problem-solving skills for youth.

The free program begins at 10 a.m. at the Knoxville Convention Center. Registration is available at www.ditennessee.utk.edu.

Log on to www.globalfinals.org for more information about Destination ImagiNation. Visit www.taidi.org to learn about DI programs in Tennessee.

Destination Imagination is the world's largest creative problem solving program for kids. More than 200,000 students in over 56 countries and the United States participate in DI.

The process-based program helps young people build lifelong skills in creative and critical thinking, teamwork, time management and problem-solving.

Up to seven participants work together as a team for 8 to 12 weeks or more to create their unique solution to a team challenge which can have a focus that is theatrical, structural, improvisational, scientific, or technical, or a blend of several disciplines.

Challenge solutions are evaluated and reward points are a component of Instant and Team Challenges. Appraisers are trained to reward the process that the team has experienced. Each team is required to send two trained appraisers to the regional and state tournaments.

Many of the local team parents became trained appraisers and assisted at the regional and state tournaments. They include: Clay and Dawn Dunaway, Lorraine Renner, Kathy Coleman, Julie Pickle, Jana Thomas and Ginger Naseri.