The Technical Challenge prompts students to complete tasks by using engineering, research, strategic planning, and related skills.

• Design and create a puzzle that will be assembled during the Presentation.
• Design and build 2 puzzle solvers that use technical methods to assemble the puzzle.
• Create and present a story about how a character’s understanding changes at a pivotal moment.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Our Engineering Challenge asks students to explore and apply engineering skills and tools to design and build solutions to specific applications.

• Design and build a roller coaster that will be assembled and then tested during the Presentation.
• Design and create a launching mechanism that starts moving a golf ball along the roller coaster track.
• Test how far and how fast the golf ball can travel through the roller coaster.
• Create a Presentation that shows what the riders would experience when riding the roller coaster.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

• Present a team-created story in the style of a tall tale.
• Include an exaggerated character with a hyperbolic trait.
• Design and build a theatrical embellishment that enhances the hyperbolic trait.
• Present a scientific analysis to determine whether or not the exaggerated character could actually exhibit the hyperbolic trait(s) as described in the tall tale.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

• Create and present a flipped tale that is inspired by a well-known story but focuses on a new main character.
• Research literary devices and integrate one into the Presentation.
• Use theatrical techniques to move the audience’s focus from one portion of the Presentation Area to another.
• Design and build a piece of scenery that goes through a scenery flip.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Our Improvisational Challenge is all about research, spontaneity, and storytelling. Teams receive topics and quickly produce skits.

• Create and present an improvisational skit about an Underdog preparing for and/or participating in a competition.
• Incorporate an expert into the skit.
• Integrate a complication into the skit.
• Enhance the skit with trash bags and rubber bands.

Our Service Learning Challenge is designed to engage students in public service that addresses real-life community issues.

• Identify, design, carry out, and evaluate a project that addresses a need in a real community.
• Create and present a suspenseful story about a high-stakes situation.
• Include a slow-motion scene that is enhanced by a special effect.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Our Rising Stars for Early Learners Challenge offers simple experiences with the creative process, and it gives young kids (preschool through 2nd grade) a place to work together and make new friends.

• Create and present a play about a group of friends going on a fantastic adventure together.
• Include a musical character.
• Create musical instruments and use them to perform a song.
• Create costumes, props, and scenery to help tell the story.

All teams will have the opportunity to solve an Instant Challenge. These challenges require teams to engage in quick, creative and critical thinking.

In a world with growing cultural connections, increased levels and types of communication, and a new need for real-time teamwork and problem-solving, the ability to solve problems quickly is becoming increasingly critical.

• Each team will be asked to solve an Instant Challenge for their DI tournament.
• The team must think on their feet by applying appropriate skills to produce a solution in a short period of time.
• Instant Challenges are performance-based, task-based, or a combination of the two.
• Although each Instant Challenge has different requirements, all Instant Challenges reward teams for their teamwork.
• Instant Challenges are kept confidential until it is time for teams to solve them.