Destination Imagination 2014-15
This past year was my (Siobhan's) 6th year of DI and Leo's 5th year. I'll assume that most of you know what DI is by now, but if you need a refresher, here are the links to our previous DI year posts: 2008-9 and 2009-10 and 2011-12 and 2012-13 and 2013-14
This year our team did something totally new and different-the projectOutreach challenge. It was called Brand Aid. We had to pick a community need and go about addressing that community need through a community service project. The 'Brand' aspect of the challenge was that we needed to brand our project using a team-created logo and jingle. We also needed to copartner with an organization which also addressed the community need we chose.
We chose to address the needs of NH refugees.
We copartnered with Rise Again Outreach, which is an organization which collects items for refugees and hosts bus stops throughout NH where volunteers can hand out the items. Rise Again also teaches refugees English, helps them learn to adapt to a new culture, and shares the Gospel with them.
Our project was a huge success. We collected over $1000 worth of toiletries and volunteered at 3 Rise Again bus stops where we handed out the items.
We branded our project Toiletries for Refugees. We had to create a presentation of our project, and we chose to do a game show style. Our above logo combined our project and presentation.
Team 2015: The Bored GamersLeo specifically worked on the project puzzle, which was a puzzle which we had to put together during our presentation. It had to incorporate five different aspects of our project. Leo and Elisa spent about 14 hours on it!
The puzzle was made out of luan wood. Leo and Elisa screwed brackets into wooden block supports on each corner. Leo cut out the different circles which went on the puzzle with a jigsaw.
The puzzle pieces were double sided. One side represented each of the five main struggles refugees face (persecution, getting a job, learning English, adapting to our culture, and poverty)
The other side represented the five ways our project addressed the community need of refugees (evaluating their needs, raising awareness for their needs through social media and announcements, branding our project and putting out donation boxes, volunteering at Rise Again, and raising $1000+ of toiletries.)
Our GameboardStates Tournament!
(Left to right) Poverty, Hope, Love, Noah, Siobhan, and Shanti, the Asian refugee
DI SKIT 2015:
Noah/Game Show Announcer: Welcome to the Game of Love and
Poverty where your rolls determine the course of your life. The contestant
today is Shanti, an Asian refugee. One
advantage Shanti has is that she has Love on her side. Yes folks, that’s right!
The one who makes those terrible tasting chocolates and Hallmark cards. She
also is assisted by Hope.
Siobhan: It looks pretty bleak for Shanti.
Shanti has no family or friends. She has been forced to live in a refugee camp
in Asia for 12 months. Shanti is here today to contest against Poverty, who has
been her lifelong enemy.
Noah: Poverty has five challenges that Shanti
must overcome. Shanti must overcome each
challenge before she can proceed with the game.
Siobhan: Will she prevail or be broken?
Noah:
Let’s find out
Love: Well just don’t stand there like ze
Eiffel tower! Here are ze dice. Now make sure you roll zem away from my outfit!
It was designed by Coco Chanel in her prime and I do not wish to have to find
anuzzer designer!
Shanti:
My first obstacle. I am forced to
leave my country due to persecution. I
can’t do it on my own!
Love:
Don’t be silly! All you
need is a little Hope!
Hope: There are more than 16 million
refugees in the world. They are helped
to leave their country by the UNHCR (an international refugee committee) which decides
if a person can be classified as a refugee based on whether or not they face
persecution due to their religion, political opinion, race, nationality, or
membership in a particular social group.
Love: See?
Hope has help you overcome ze obstacle!
Good job now here are ze dice again and remember!
Shanti: I know away from the outfit.
Love: Voila! Well done! Travail
exceptionnel de mon ami!
Shanti:
My second obstacle. I must learn
the new native language.
Hope: It is often very difficult for
refugees to learn English, because they must work and go to school. Programs like ESL (English as a Second
Language) help the refugees to balance their work schedules and classes.
Love: We are doing well, oui?
Shanti: We?
Love: Oui (Love nods head as she says it
because she thinks refugee is speaking French.)
Shanti: We as in us?
Love: No, no, no! Oui, not we.
Shanti: We?
Love: Just roll the dice.
Shanti:
My third obstacle. I
must get a job.
Hope: Refugees must quickly find work in
the United States so they can support themselves. Programs like IRC offer mentoring to the
refugees and work with them to help them find jobs.
Love: Good job mon ami! Look how close you
are to the end!
Shanti: Well then, let’s go.
Love: As you Americans say, (winks at the
audience) I’m lovin it!
Shanti:
My fourth obstacle. I
must learn to adapt to a new culture.
Hope:
Sadly, refugees often
face discrimination because of their lack of experience and knowledge of our
culture. Programs like ESL not only
teach refugees English, but also educate them on cultural differences.
Love: Just one more roll till the end! We
can victore!
Shanti: Oui?
Love: No we as in us.
Shanti: Ah, Oui (Refugee rolls dice)
Shanti:
My fifth obstacle: I
must overcome Poverty itself.
Love:
I think you’re going to need a bit more than Hope this time.
Siobhan:
How could six teenagers
make an impact on our community? Our DI team took five steps in tackling our
project. First, we evaluated the needs our community faces. (Flips first disk) We decided that the needs of NH
refugees would be what our team would focus on. As Hope has shown us, there are
many needs that refugees face, but Poverty is the underlying issue. Our DI team
helped refugees overcome this obstacle by raising awareness for their needs
through social media and announcements in church and by word of mouth. (Flips second disk) (Jingle
plays) We made a difference…one box of toiletries at a time. We branded
our project ‘Toiletries for Refugees’ and put out donation boxes with our logo.
(Flips third disk) We gave all our donations
to our copartner, Rise Again Outreach, which is an organization which collects
items for refugees such as toiletries, clothing, and blankets and hosts bus
stops throughout NH every month where volunteers hand out the items. We volunteered at three Rise Again bus stops
and handed out toiletries and hot drinks to the NH refugees. We supplied all
the toiletries for two of the bus stops. (Flips
fourth disk) We not only impacted our community by exceeding our goal of
$1000 or four years' worth of toiletries, but we also
impacted the refugees, the Rise Again volunteers, the people who gave, and
ourselves. As with any project, there is
always room for improvement. Our team could have improved our project by
pushing our brand more, putting our more collection boxes, and using more means
to raise awareness. Our team looks
forward to continue to volunteer at Rise Again and raise awareness for the
needs of the refugees.
Love:
You did it, Shanti! You
overcame all five obstacles!
Game
show announcer: Okay
everyone now to announce the winner. And the winner is Shanti! Congratulations on the win! Anything you want
to say Shanti?
Shanti: I would like to thank everyone that
helped me along this journey. Thank you for believing in me and welcoming me to
America.
Game
show announcer: And here
is your prize, a lifetime's supply of toiletries! (Hands Shanti the logo) Congratulations
and good luck in your new life.
Game
show announcer: Well
that’s it folks! That’s our game! Thank you audience for silencing your mobile
devices and again we are not a movie theatre so if you have spilled any popcorn
or soda you will need to pick that up before you leave. A big thank you to our
production team and to our sponsor, Toiletries for Refugees. (Full Jingle starts playing)
Love
and Hope, singing the jingle: The Game of Love and Poverty; Making a Difference, One Box of Toiletries
at a Time; Help Refugees with Toiletries.
Game Show Announcer: See
you next...
Everyone:
TIME!
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