9-29-2015 2:03pm

Enjoy Life in Saline: STEM-based program for K-12

As an entrepreneur, I literally wear many hats in one day. Lately I’ve been wearing a hard hat when talking to Saline Area School students and parents about STEM (an acronym that stands for “Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math”) enriching activities for K-12th grade students. Recently we had 34 students attend one of our Destination Imagination (Saline DI) “Meet & Greet” sessions. Students and parents were able to experience the joy, and sometimes frustration, of doing an Instant Challenge like building the tallest free-standing paper tower with just twenty sheets of paper in five minutes. Or stacking up ten plastic cups into a pyramid shape without using their hands!

Last night I was at Woodland Meadows Elementary and Heritage Schools with my team of volunteers. What was extra special was seeing my 7th grade daughter give part of “the pitch” to parents and students. She’s been on a Saline DI team with five of her peers for the last four years. She explained that DI is an educational program in which student teams (grades K-12th) solve open-ended Challenges and present their solutions at a tournament. DI is designed to teach students the creative process from imagination to innovation. Students also learn essential 21st century skills needed to fuel the economies of tomorrow, including creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking and project management.

Saline DI students are starting an exciting journey that could lead them to compete against the world’s top problem-solving teams in the program’s Global Finals tournament in May. Last year Saline DI had 8 teams comprised of 46 students where our senior level Improvisational team (comprised of Tyler Kudlak, Derek Liemohn, Alex Mah, Jaron Stacey) competed at Global Finals. This year the Saline DI Board is anticipating even greater participation in the program because of the increased support of Saline Area Schools.

So far, teams have formed at Pleasant Ridge Elementary, Harvest Elementary, Woodland Meadows Elementary, Heritage School, Saline Middle School, and the Saline High School.

For information about how to form a team to take part in the world’s largest collaborative problem solving program for youth, go to www.SalineDI.org. Check out our photo album at https://www.flickr.com/photos/127652097@N06/albums/72157659256939901

or find us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Email me if you need more information about this amazing program!

Ginger Liemohn, Saline DI Program Coordinator

Email: ginger@salinedi.org
www.salinedi.org
Facebook: Saline DI
Twitter: @Saline_DI
Instagram: SalineDI