Whittier Elementary STEM team readies for global competition

WHEATON – Though it starts with a flurry of high-energy jokes and teasing, the weekly practice for the Pigeon Symphony Orchestra quickly turns to business.

The team, named by the Whittier elementary schoolers on it, wasn't practicing a sport or in a band.

Instead, it was practicing for the global, STEM-centric Destination Imagination competition at the end of the month.

"The common thread among these kids is that they're all interested in making something or doing something," said team co-coach Dave Seng, a software engineer who facilitates the group with his wife, Gigi, a child psychologist.

Each year, teams of elementary children form in September and select an area to compete in among science, technology, engineering, mathematics, fine arts, service learning and early learning. The competition consists of two parts – a central challenge done outside of the competition and an instant challenge, working through a multi-part problem with a performance done before judges.

Dave said the activity was a valuable learning opportunity not often found inside school walls, but the adult leaders often have to bite their tongues when offering suggestions.

"We're managers, not coaches," Gigi said. "The kids have the original ideas and they have to solve everything independently. ... It's their solution, and they get all the glory."

Team members admitted their motivation for choosing the service learning category was one of competitive mathematics, as it is often not a particularly popular category.

"But we wanted to do something different," Anne Reidenbach said. "We wanted to do some building, but we also wanted to do something that helped other people."

The group took inspiration from a first-grader at Whittier who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.

"Mainly we picked it because it was one that we had experienced firsthand," team member Jack DeNardo said. "There are a bunch of other diseases and things...but this is the first one we've seen."

For their central challenge, they created a "cardboard carnival," complete with a dozen different games and activities built by the students, including a skee-ball rig, a bowling game and more. The students collected more than $1,200 in cash and toys at the Jan. 16 event, all of which was donated to the child life department at Central DuPage Hospital.

"One of my favorite things about DI is that if it doesn't say you can't do it, you can," Tiffany Kiefer said.

To promote it, the team was required to create a meme as a part of the competition. The more artistically minded members of the group created Dr. Mark McDoodle, an anthropomorphic crayon doctor, to promote the carnival to other students through team-created coloring pages distributed through the school. McDoodle also was on hand – in the form of Anne Reidenbach in full costume – to raise awareness.

The group then delivered a presentation to appraisers and audiences in the regional and state competitions, coming in third.

All seven of the students said they were excited about the upcoming global competition, continuing to meet every week at the Sengs' house to practice and tweak their presentation. They are holding a garage sale fundraiser May 13 and 14 at 1939 Berkshire Place as well as a gofundme.com page to help offset the costs of attending the competition.

"I think it's going to be really fun. I'm excited to meet people from other countries," Anne said.

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Whittier Pigeon Symphony Orchestra Destination Imagination Team

Coaches: Gigi and Dave Seng

Members: Jack DeNardo, Evan Hutchins, Tiffany Kiefer, Matthew Knasel, Becca Lech, Anne Reidenbach and Teagan Seng

Garage sale fundraiser: May 13 and 14 at 1939 Berkshire Place. Donations may be made on site or online at gofundme.com by searching for "Knasel."