St. James Major going global!

Chris Leger | May 11, 2016

After competing at the regional and provincial levels of the Destination Imagination tournaments, St. James Major in Sharbot Lake has secured a berth in the global finals of this prestigious competition, which is sponsored in part by the likes of the Walt Disney Corporation, IBM and the U.S. Space and Rocket Centre, and will be held at the University of Tennessee. But we need YOUR help.

Destination Imagination is an arts-based program that inspires children to learn through drama and discovery. Teaching through a creative process, it empowers students with 21st century skills as they are led through a series of instant challenges as well as preparations for a presentation judged at the competitions.

St. James Major in Sharbot Lake sent two teams to the regional tournament in Arnprior this past March: a middle school team consisting of students from grades 5 to 8, as well as a younger elementary team consisting of the children in grades 1 to 4. Our older team prepared for an improvisational challenge that addressed a news flash and had to incorporate a miscellaneous prop in the process.

Our younger team advanced to the provincial tournament held on the campus of the University of Toronto in April. They chose the Scientific challenge and had to research how animals use camouflage in nature. They then prepared an 8-minute play involving a character hidden in plain sight where a plot twist developed when the character was revealed. They also had to create a prop that looked like one thing, but was really another. The team created a play about musicians and their dogs carrying guitar cases on the way to a concert in the woods, who encounter a black wolf hidden in the shadows of their backdrop. When the wolf appears, the guitar cases really have guns in them and the musicians turn into hunters - but in the end decide to spare the life of the wolf. Very complex for a group of 6 to 9-year-olds!

After securing a position in this once-in-a-lifetime experience from May 25th to the 28th, the team has to do some fundraising. This year more than 17,000 people will take part in the global championships from over 15 different countries. At a cost of US $715 per person for the 4 days plus travel, we are seeking sponsorship from our great community. While the Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic DSB has generously agreed to defray some of the costs, can you help? Anything from the $15 cost of a meal to the $35 cost of one night’s lodging to the full sponsorship of a student would be appreciated!

With concerts and presentations from NASA as well as a variety of activities led by world's leading corporations, this will truly provide the children an experience of a lifetime. We sincerely appreciate any support you are able to offer to help our team compete at Globals. To donate - contact St. James Major 613-279-1243.