Below are the special awards presented at the California Creativity State Tournament held in Elk Grove on April 5, 2008.

DaVincI Award
For Outstanding Creativity

The paths we follow on our journeys were once uncharted and unknown – until someone took a bold step in a new direction and paved a way for us to follow. To solve our Challenges, imagination, creativity, originality, and courage are required. We honor those individuals and teams who most clearly demonstrate that spirit of adventurous risk in their solutions - those who most creatively traveled to reach truly new and unique destinations. The DaVincI Award is named to honor one of humanity's greatest creative thinkers, Leonardo DaVinci.

This award is given for having a unique approach to a solution, for risk taking, and/or for outstanding creativity, not skill or talent.

GraniteHillsHigh School
Obstacles, Of Course! Secondary Level Team

This team’s solution was a first rate example of creativity and ingenuity. Their creative use of materials and the integration of the non-verbal requirement of the Challenge were integral in presenting a black and white silent Charlie Chaplin movie as their solution. First, scores of origami birds and erratic flute playing effectively portrayed a flock of angry, chattering birds. Next, with head and front legs they presented a 9-foot tall giraffe that towered over the other characters. Their obstacles also incorporated their circus story into their design with a welcome sign, house of mirrors, giraffe and circus tent. Their glockenspiel was hand-made and effectively enhanced their performance. The set and costumes were original and demonstrated an effective use of materials as they were created from recycled items. This team presented a very creative and entertaining solution!

Beautiful set and costume design! This team presented their solution to this Challenge with amazing grace and style. We loved their poetic voices, relevant topic, investigation and presentation! They used a mosaic of hundreds of paint swatches in their backdrop. Great detail! This team exhibited amazing 3-dimensional set design, engineered with creativity and artistic ability not seen with any other team. Their story was all in poetic form and their costumes were elaborate and detailed. 

This team’s approach to the central Challenge involved a very unique approach to the creation of an optical illusion that was more psychological than physical. This style of illusion was appealing in several ways. Although the effect was subtle, it unified the team’s approach to the plot of the story by setting a mood which was intimately tied to the ambience of silent films of the 1920’s. The choice of this technique was not an obvious one given the description of the requirement for the effect in the Challenge. The execution of this effect, of lip-synching to the Narrator’s voice was exquisitely carried out. The Narrator spoke in multiple characters’ voices without a script. The timing of the movement of the characters’ gestures and mouth movements was completely in synchrony with the delivery of the Narrator’s vocal lines despite there having been no eye contact between them. This greatly connected the ambience to the 1920’s era of silent films.

Hot, Fresh, Right To Your Door

DI’ve Got a Secret! Secondary Level Team

From the minute we read this team’s Tournament Data Forms that introduced us to the “Moken Culture,” we knew we were embarking on a mystical journey. The central setting was an authentic replica of a Moken boat that actually rocked through an ingenious system of pistons and compressed air. Part of the story was told through a “shadow projection system” that also changed colors with the mood of the plot. From the backdrops made of jean materials, meticulously woven into chickenwire, to the team members who transformed from rocks to trees, to the use of actual “Native Script” as body art, every element of every costume and set piece was thoughtfully crafted to work with the overall theme. Every single mystical element of the set made this performance a magnificent piece of art!

The Renaissance Award
For Outstanding Design, Engineering, Execution, Performance

On our journey we sometimes encounter exceptional travelers who entertain and enlighten us along the way. The Renaissance Award recognizes those among us who demonstrate extraordinary amounts of effort and preparation in their solutions or outstanding skill in engineering, design or performance. While the destination is creativity, these fellow travelers make the journey itself memorable.

This award is given for outstanding skill in the areas of engineering, design, or performance.

This was the only air powered vehicle the Appraisers had seen. This design used air turbines and combined parts from two vehicles to create a hybrid that needed only one remote controller. The team impressed the Appraisers with their understanding of their complex unique design.

This team designed and executed a solution to overcome an obstacle that made it look easy and performed flawlessly. Their drive mechanism incorporated a pulley with a magnet on it, which attached to a piece of metal on the end of the rope allowing the vehicle to climb the rope unfailingly. In addition, though the team encountered set difficulties, their performance was extremely entertaining and clearly demonstrated their exceptional teamwork and enthusiasm.

Spectacular use of materials; very creative design; great back-up plan.

Outstanding teamwork and cooperation; amazing attitudes; wonderful kids.

This team’s use of the inherent properties of the materials in a unique and creative way gave them a truly one of a kind solution that amazed all of the Appraisers.

This team showed advanced technological design replicating a tornado simulator with their own creative flare. They used detailed meteorological science for their experiment and gave clear, unquestionable results. The audience was kept on the edge of their seat by their detailed portrayal of the story where each character played a significant part in the interwoven story lines, wearing costumes and headgear that portrayed each phase of the experiment.

This team had an extremely well rounded presentation. We really loved the set design, use of recyclable materials and all around artistic design. It is clear that this team worked very hard to achieve this level of presentation.  The set’s 3-dimensional moving design and amazing mosaic of recycled materials put together to make a one –of-a-kind detailed backdrop that we were truly impressed with. There must have been thousands of items glued to the scene that came together with three different cubes. Just beautiful!

This team appreciates their planet earth. An entire performance based upon a rock-solid foundation of geological expertise also displayed an innovative use of recycled materials. An impressive truck – composed of cardboard, nuts and bolts and a sturdy base – revealed just how outstanding the team was. They even went so far as to include a pop-out window and an enclosed cab. The structure was stable enough to hold three team members and was incorporated into the plot most professionally. They also displayed their ingenuity in constructing a golden and magical bridge that connected and folded in three parts. The architectural mastery and construction skill manifest in this performance was extraordinarily advanced. And all this engineering compounded with their research on rubies, gold and topaz made this performance absolutely rockin’!

The variety and quality of props created in a 30 minute Studio knocked the Appraiser’s socks off! The “clickety-clack” sound of an old reel-to-reel camera was created by a “card” attached to the spokes of a paint roller inserted into a cardboard box. It surprisingly wasn’t hand turned! Instead the box was moved in a forward circular motion that created torque which forced the paint handle to rotate and the plastic “card” to “clack” on the spokes. This was just one of a half dozed spectacularly integrated props: dinosaur with 3-D corrugated cardboard spine and tail, chain link fence, a grape character – powered fruit carousel rotating with hanging fruit and fully costumed team members. All this – well done in just 30 minutes! WOW!

“Say What?” deserves the Renaissance Award for what might be termed “creative diligence.” The team decided that building their structure was an interactive process, assigning team members to watch and really focus on different parts of the structure as they tested and broke it. With over twenty broken structures, the team members were then able to pinpoint exactly where the structure failed. This allowed the team to come up with structural enhancements that improved upon each previous model -- to build up piece by piece into what you would call their final product. Using this unique approach brought the team to design a trapezoidal insert which added necessary strength to the structure without unnecessary weight.

This team showed exemplary attention to detail in designing props that also reinforced the overall storyline and the depth of each character. The contrast of the two main characters were portrayed through use of props such as a mushroom chair made from colorful and vibrant materials that sat above a meadow of handmade flowers.   One character’s dress was designed and made by the team and was composed of over 2,000 individual fabric flowers. Another prop used was made from a tree. The chain was made from octagonal shapes and cut precisely to fit all the tree branch pieces together. This team’s amazing storyline was very entertaining and consistent from the very beginning to the very end.

Spirit of Discovery & Imagination Award

For exceptional Spirit, Teamwork, Volunteerism and Sportsmanship

From its very beginning, Destination ImagiNation® has been a community. The recipients of this award are the ones who go out of their way to help others, making sacrifices not for themselves, but to give something to someone else. We recognize and applaud these members of our community who demonstrate outstanding and extraordinary levels of sportsmanship, volunteerism and spirit, be they Team Managers, Team Members, Officials or other helpful DI friends and volunteers.

This award is given in recognition of those who act as superior role models in the areas of spirit, sportsmanship, and volunteerism.

DI’ve Got a Secret! Middle Level Team

This team provided a very amazing performance in the IC holding room. With wonderful voices the team took requests from the other team members in the room. The songs were rendered with talent beyond anything we have heard. Goose bumps were all over the room. They created a mood of camaraderie amongst all of the teams present!

Las Chicas Amigas, Act 3

DI’ve Got a Secret! Middle Level Team

Las Chicas Amigas, Act 3 was nominated for their exceptional DI Spirit, teamwork, and sportsmanship. As a team this group of kids defined what being in DI is all about. Always upbeat and cherry, this team entertained us all on campus with their unique and original songs and dances. In the Prep Area and during their Team Challenge performance they demonstrated outstanding teamwork and sportsmanship. You could really tell that this team was in it for the pure love of DI. Never saying a bad word about anything, this team quickly made friends with any one they encountered.