BOURBON -ÊIt's been called a "miracle."

Yet it was the team's creativity, hard work, intelligence, dedication, quick thinking and unity that helped seven local students win first place in the Destination Imagination global competition.

Not regional. Not state. Not national. Global.

They defeated more than 40 teams from 47 states and 11 countries to win the prestigious award.

They are the first Indiana team to place first at the World Finals at the secondary (high school) level. And they are only the third Indiana team to place in any competition since 1985, according to the team.

In addition, the team received the Renaissance Award recognizing the team's ability to exemplify and solve the given problem better than any other team.

Team members include Triton Junior-Senior High School juniors Andrea Zentz, Kylie Edmonds, Tim Speicher; sophomore Todd Bolt; freshmen Ben Speicher and David Gabhart; and Trinity School, South Bend, junior Sarah Benczik.

The creative problem-solving competition was held in Knoxville, Tenn., May 22-25.

For their competition, the team chose a challenge called "Dual Dilemma." It required the team to build two balsa wood structures - one pre-built and the other built at the performance site in front of the judges. As part of the story in the presentation, the structure must be crushed. Judges based scores on the ratio of weight held to the weight of the structure, the effectiveness of the integration of the structure to the drama, the creativity and polish of the drama, the showcasing of student talent and a second improvisational challenge.

After winning, Tim Speicher said, "Dave and I were excited so much we kept watching the video until the battery ran out."

The competition was far from easy. Tim Speicher summed it up in one word: "Stiff." Texas alone sent 1,200 teams to the competition, he said.

"We thought No. 1 was out of the question," said Zentz.

She said the hardest part was watching the other teams compete with better structures.

Benczik said it took a total team effort to win first place.

While the team may not have had the best score for the team challenge, it was the instant challenge where they swept up in scoring. In the instant challenges, teams hone their problem-solving skills as they think on their feet to solve a given problem in 30 minutes.

Bolt said out of a possible score of 100, the team received a 92. The next best score was in the 80s.

"That's where we made up our points," said Ben Speicher.

Besides winning the trophy and medals, besides being able to say they're No. 1 in the world, the team also had a good time, met new people and made a few fond memories.

"It was fun meeting other people," said Zentz.

Gabhart said everyone at the competition was very creative and excited about competing. No one was bored to be there.

"They're crazy," said Edmonds of the teams. "It's great."

"It's not unusual to see some person walking around in a duck costume" at the competition, said Zentz.

Ben Speicher agreed. "You don't have to worry about looking weird."

Of course, when you're No. 1 in the world, it doesn't matter if a person looks weird or not.

"We won!" said Zentz.

At Wednesday's pep rally for the team, team manager and Triton English teacher Linda Kissinger told the entire student body, parents and teachers, "I was really, really proud of (our) Triton kids. They made a great impression."

The team also showed their video from the competition - titled "Miracle."

On the net: www.destinationimagination.org [[In-content Ad]]