2010 Special Awards
Special Awards
Spirit of Discovery & Imagination Award ("Spirit of DI"):
This award is given for exceptional spirit, teamwork, volunteerism and sportsmanship.
The Renaissance Award:
This award is given for outstanding design, engineering or performance.
The DaVinci Award:
This award is given for outstanding creativity.
This year's recipients of these awards are as follows:
DIrect DIposit:
Spirit of DI -
Murchison Elem - Smart Alecks (Team Challenge):
This team displayed the essence of enthusiasm and positive outlook. Their joy pervaded their every action and they brought smiles to everyone in the room. Missed targets brought only encouragement among team members - nothing could dampen their fun and excitement at just being here and sharing their solution. Winning and losing had no meaning; they absolutely reveled in working together.
The Renaissance Award -
Canyon Creek Elem 1 (Team Challenge):
They delivered all their objects successfully in a target. Very innovative technical design. The use of webcams & laptops was very efficient & creative & worked. The delivery system was robust & clever. They even had a backup delivery system. Very impressive!! Hard work & good teamwork!!
The DaVinci Award -
Vista Ridge HS 1 (Team Challenge):
We nominate Vista Ridge HS 1 for the DaVinci due to their beautifully created set pieces, costumes & delivery system. Their play, inspired by Dr. Seuss, had a whimsical rhyming script & nearly professionally constructed props. Their delivery system was well calibrated & utilized a highly effective grid system that resulted in excellent accuracy. An example of their ability to think quickly & creatively was when they were told their target was too large to qualify as a small target, they simply compressed it manually to make it smaller.
DI-Bots:
The Renaissance Award -
Highland Park Elem - Smart Kid Industries (Team Challenge):
The city design was very intricate and detailed. It was original because the design was 3-D on a flat city street. It was obvious how much work and teamwork went into the presentation.
Trinity Episcopal Elementary "Fee-Hi" (Team challenge):
Fee-Hi did an amazing job in every detail of their team challenge. They had reason and thought for everything and were extremely well executed. Their bot became an actual character in the story and the artistry was simply amazing. Very well choreographed. Actual built robot during performance. Robot had 3 aspects it performed:
-
speaker to amplify voice
-
rotating head
-
moved backward and forward
Note: other DI-Bots only performed one motion. Outstanding design.
The DaVinci Award -
Wiley MS 1 "DI Dogs" (Team Challenge):
This very unconventional design showed a "program" controlling a robot. using cups and conductive liquid. These kids did something extremely complex with no more than spare parts. It was different than any other team today.
You're Gonna Flip:
Spirit of DI -
Giddens 1 (Team Challenge):
This team came together & persevered even though they lost some team members throughout the process. They worked together as a team by encouraging each other throughout the entire performance. The three members banded together to create a large number of outstanding puppets and elaborate background. They truly exhibited the spirit of teamwork and of DI.
St Stephen's 6th Grade (Team Challenge):
This team was assembled of students from different campuses in different parts of the region, as well as, different levels of the DI experience. The team explained to some of the appraisers that they did their own research about the treatment of animals in beef production and the health effects of eating meat. This team not only presented us a flip because of health effects but used their research to educate their classmates at the different schools on the treatment of animals in the fast food industry. Based on statements by the students, individuals worked independently to create parts of the performance. For example, one student used scaling of figures using graph paper IA skill learned in math class) in designing the puppet and another student created an original rap that was the voice of the puppet.
All of the members of this group had a good, positive energy and were excited about their project. Henry, the rapper, talked to each appraiser with great excitement and showed us the parts of their work. They all exported charisma to the world!
The Renaissance Award -
Cedar Park MS 1 (Team Challenge):
The Christmas tree had 2 different mechanics for the puppetry - eyes & mouth that were manipulated. It had original origami with Chinese paper for ornaments. The tree was made only with wrapping paper roll, tissues and hot glue. They used German accent for the tree that did the narration because the tree is from Germany.
Parkside El 2 (Team Challenge):
The staging and props were true works of art. Extremely good use of innovation in regard to the set/backdrop that flipped forward and had several beautifully done scenes. The other "wow" factor was the book that surprisingly was pulled from the library scenery and became the puppet and was the catalyst for the flip in the story. It is evident that this team had it together and really delivered the goods today. Excellent use of humor and one-liners appropriate for all ages. Thank you for a heartwarming and very memorable performance!!!
Westwood HS 2 (Team Challenge):
From the beginning, the team stayed in character, establishing an authentic performance of human and puppet interaction. Multiple kinds of puppets were used. The special effects were impressive, such as the emotional reactions of puppets shaking in fear, strong facial makeup and excellent marionette features of strings and costumes. Strong dramatic performance was demonstrated by all the team members especially the puppet master and Lucy. Superb acting by all!!
Bridge Point El - Creative Cougars (Team Challenge):
Script/Acting Costumes Art
witty, funny, clever extremely well made dancing painted hands as art ....
superior acting and frog used party toy as tongue (growing tree)
variations of voices
Puppet Backdrop
creative use of water gun to spit from llamas mouth elaborate and well-made 3D backdrop
boy was able to control llama's head & feet character "trees" were able to step out of the
background to which they were originally
attached
The DaVinci Award -
Forest Trail Elem 4 (Team Challenge):
This team took a theory of quantum physics and integrated an understandable explanation of string theory into their performance. With a blend of science, humor, and a memorable puppet, they were able to change their characters' point of view.
Rouse HS 1 (Team Challenge):
Judges were blown away with the use of clever rhyme throughout the entire performance. The story was coherent and fun to listen to at the same time. Team members were obviously well practiced.
DO or DI:
Spirit of DI -
Westside Elem 3 (Team Challenge):
This team came in with heads held high in the midst of facing the toughest of challenges. As of this morning, the team found out that half of their team was not going to be present. Instead of crumbling at the news, they rallied through their performances. Bonding and working in a way that it was difficult to ever tell that they had a missing link.
Lago Vista MS - DIngleberries (Team Challenge):
The nature of this team's character was so obvious throughout their entire performance. During their prep time, they stood in a circle and held hands. They told us that they learned this in football and use it because it helps them feel each other's energy. Their prep time discussion was obviously superlative. We learned that they went to a comedy club and took improvisation lessons. Their entire performance exuded enthusiasm and teamwork. They were a great role model for the others groups - very stand up guys.
The Renaissance Award -
Hill Country MS 1 (Team Challenge):
This group displayed exceptional creativity by incorporating four different scene changes with each scene including the surprise improv element. They proved to be extremely dynamic by using a variety of scene changes, speaking Spanish, singing a song & somehow having a zombie, love, & western scene teach us about the extinction of California condor. They had everybody in the room definitely engaged.
Westlake HS 8 (Team Challenge):
This performance was very complex. In addition to inventing their own machine and creating a rocking chair from team members, they were also able to integrate humor throughout, flawlessly change scene, keep timing with each other, and create many personalities all in one 5 minute skit. Amazing.
The DaVinci Award -
Henry MS 1 (Team Challenge - Individual) - Sanil:
Outstanding creative performance with multiple character changes (including princess character). He creatively altered his body language, voice and interaction based on character and kept audience in stitches! Great job!
Parkside Elem 1 (Instant Challenge)
Breaking DI News:
Spirit of DI -
Kealing MS - Team Score! (Team Challenge):
We were very impressed with the creativity and teamwork of the entire team. They shared a unique spirit in the way they approached the challenge, utilizing detail in the way they prepared their props, such as a mural of the Rio de Janeiro Christos Statue that all team members helped make, and described in intricate detail. They dedicated a lot of time to learning origami so that their eco-wall could be fashioned from newspaper, creatively utilizing the challenge theme. They also chose a news story that compared the challenges of environmental concerns with social challenges of poverty and societal division. The team showed outstanding teamwork.
The Renaissance Award -
Dripping Springs - Cirque de Napoleon (Team Challenge - Individual) - Erin Lufts:
The dress that Josephine wore was entirely made up of newsprint. The design truly resembled a French dress of the 1700's. The dress has a hoop skirt design with multiple layer newsprint fabric. There was evidence of research and attention to detail and that the creator had spent a great deal of time in making the dress. This costume was an integral period piece bringing an authentic approach to the era.