ROCKPORT — A grade 5 Destination Imagination team “Dungeons & DIgons” from Camden Rockport Middle School represented Maine at the Global Finals competition in Kansas City, Missouri on May 22. The team of 7 students had been working to solve a Fine Arts challenge since October and they faced some fierce competition from all over the globe!

The team consisted of Ruth Prendergast, Bridget Vickerman, Teddy Trumbauer, Simon Contakos, Jonathan Fernald, Sully Coleman and Elijah Buescher and their coach, Tricia Magri.

The team had been preparing for this competition for months, both in the classroom and in various fundraising activities. The Fine Arts challenge called “Flip the Script” required the students to create an original 8 minute skit in which they “flipped” the main character in the well known Wizard of Oz story from Dorothy to Reggie, the flying monkey. They also had to engineer a device that would make a piece of scenery flip or turn during their skit. The team also had to solve an Instant Challenge on site at the competition, testing their problem solving skills and teamwork on the spot.

“The trip was an amazing experience for these 5th graders,” said Camden Rockport Middle School, in a news release. “They performed extremely well, tying 2 other states for 16th place out of 50 teams. This is an exceptional performance for a first year Destination Imagination team! More importantly, the students met other problem solvers from all over the globe. They spent some time with their buddy team from Arkansas, sharing a bit of Maine with them.”

The team would like to thank the following businesses and families for helping them reach their fundraising goal of $9,000: CRMS grade 8 students, MSAD 28, Gypsy Rose Tavern, Bayview Financial, Journey’s End Marina, Marriner’s Restaurant, Mathews Brothers, Camden National Bank, Camden Hospital for Animals, North Atlantic Gymnastics, River Ducks Ice Cream, First National Bank, Lonza Inc, John & Victoria Bryant, Fernald family, Maine DI, Rockport Harbor Hotel, Vicki Doudera, Janice Stump, Lyman Morse Boatbuilding Inc., Michael Beuscher, Charlie White, Vickerman family, Pitcher family, Clara & Thomas Buescher, Prendergast family, Coleman family, Trumbauer family, Robert Monberg, and Christos and Norvelene Contakos.

“Also the team thanks their parents, siblings and teachers for supporting them as well,” said the release.