What We Are All About
Find your Talents
Uncover abilities you never knew you had.
Learn by Creating
Make cool things! Have fun! Discover new possibilities!
Compete for Fun
Show off what you’ve created and see what other teams have done!
Are you a DIer? Get the latest information for your Region.
What the Kids Do
Our Program
Teams of 2-7 kids join together to discover their creativity and solve one of our amazing Challenges! Then, they can show off their extraordinary solutions at our Tournaments.
What People Are Saying
- I owe much of who I am today to the DI program and cannot thank enough the people who made the program possible while I was a participant.
Kelsey ADI Alabama Alum - Both of my sons participated in DI many years ago and both thoroughly enjoyed it! It was such an enriching opportunity for them – creative, energetic, and empowering.
Nicole SParent - The best thing that I have taken away from all of my experiences with DI is the endless memories I have made, especially the ones that include my DI team, the Ninja Chickens.
Shannon KAppraiser and DI Alum - As a Team Manager, watching the process the kids go through to reach their final “destination” is truly an eye opening, mind-boggling experience. I have never ceased to be amazed at what can be created when they are left to their own devices and imagination.
Debbie HTeam Manager - DI introduced me to a wacky world without limits – the challenges pushed me to re-imagine the ordinary and to discover new possibilities/direction for my own future.
Lierin MDI Alabama Alum - There’s always more than one solution!
Jimmie NDI Alabama Alum/Appraiser
Our Exciting Challenges for 2018-19
Teams complete tasks by using engineering, research, strategic planning and related skills.
On Target
Technical
Combines the research and curiosity of science with the thrill and creativity of the theater arts.
Medical Mystery
Scientific
Teams flex their creative muscles to create stories, design props, and perform on stage.
Game On
Fine Arts
It’s all about spontaneity and storytelling! Teams receive topics and produce skits right on the spot.
Heads Up
Improvisational
Teams design, build and test load-bearing structures out of specific materials.
Monster Effects
Engineering
Teams engage in public service to address real-life community issues.
Escape Artists
Service Learning / Project Outreach
Younger kids (PreK-2nd Grade) work together, make new friends, and discover the Creative Process.
Pop Up
Early-Learning / Rising Stars
Think fast and use creative and critical thinking. You have to think on your feet to solve a challenge in just five to eight minutes.
Instant Challenge
Important Events for 2018-19
Central Region Tournament
February 9, 20198:00am-3:30pm
Shelby County Instructional Services Center
Alabaster, AL
Northern Region Tournament
February 16, 20198:00am-4:00pm
Bob Jones High School
Madison, AL
State Tournament
April 6, 20198:00am-5:00pm
Training & Workshops
Team Manager/Coordinator Training – Central Region: October 20, 2018 | Oak Mountain High School | 8:30am
Team Manager/Coordinator Training – North Region: October 27, 2018 | Bob Jones High School | 8:30am
Appraiser Training – Central Region: February 8, 2019 | Shelby County Instructional Services Center | 6-9pm
Appraiser Training – North Region: February 15, 2019 | Bob Jones High School | 6-9pm
Join in the Creativity
Volunteer Opportunities
Are you ready to jump in to support our creative movement? We have many ways for you to join in the fun!
Answer our call and start your adventure!
News & Updates
Technical Challenge
On Target
The Technical Challenge prompts students to complete tasks by using engineering, research, strategic planning and related skills.
Points of Interest
- Design and build an aircraft that takes off, flies, and lands.
- Design the aircraft to deliver a team-created payload.
- Create and present a story about one or more characters exploring a remote place.
- Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Scientific Challenge
Medical Mystery
Our Scientific Challenge blends the research and curiosity of science with the thrill and creativity of the theater arts.
Points of Interest
- Research the human body and medical conditions that affect the human body.
- Create and present a story about a medical mystery that affects a human character.
- Design and build a representation that shows the medical mystery and at least one symptom.
- Present an action or scene that is shown from two or more perspectives at the same time.
- Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Fine Arts Challenge
Game On
Our Fine Arts Challenge has students flex their acting and creative muscles as they experiment with different types of artistic media and theater arts, write scripts and design props.
Points of Interest
- Create and present a story that integrates research of a team-selected game.
- Create and present a game gizmo that causes an action or event to occur.
- Design and create a container that goes through a transformation.
- Design either the game gizmo or the container to be a technical element.
- Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Improvisational Challenge
Heads Up
Our Improvisational Challenge is all about spontaneity and storytelling. Teams receive topics and produce skits right on the spot.
Points of Interest
- Research historical figures found on coins from around the world.
- Create and present an improvisational skit that includes the historical figures in a tale.
- Integrate an event that has an impact on the tale.
- Present the skit in two parts, changing between comedy and tragedy.
- Present the skit in two styles, changing from verbal to nonverbal.
Engineering Challenge
Monster Effects
Our Engineering Challenge asks teams to design, build and test load-bearing structures out of specific materials.
Points of Interest
- Design and build a structure that can support weight without breaking.
- Test the structure by placing weights and then removing them.
- Create and present a story in which the sudden appearance of a monster has surprising results.
- Design and create a special effect to enhance the sudden appearance of the monster and/or the events surrounding the monster in the story.
- Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Service Learning / Project Outreach Challenge
Escape Artists
Our Service Learning Challenge is designed to engage students in public service to address real-life community issues.
Points of Interest
- Identify, design, and carry out a project that addresses a need in a real community.
- Create and theatrically present a story that builds suspense about characters who attempt an escape.
- Integrate information about the project through clues that help the characters attempt to escape.
- Integrate information about the future of the project.
- Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Early Learning / Rising Stars Challenge
Pop Up
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.
Points of Interest
- Explore fiction and nonfiction stories.
- Create and present a story that combines elements of both fiction and nonfiction.
- Design and build a technical device.
- Create an interactive, life-size pop-up book to help tell the story.
- Integrate a randomly selected item into the story.
Instant Challenge
Instant Challenge
Think fast and use creative and critical thinking. You have to think on your feet to solve a challenge in just five to eight minutes.
Points of Interest
- 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.
- At a tournament, a team will receive an Instant Challenge and the materials with which to solve it.
- The team members must think on their feet by applying appropriate skills to produce a solution in a period of just five to eight minutes.
- 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 through the day of the tournament.
