Right under our noses

[Kristin Toussaint]

Great news on the Knoxville Education front! Destination ImagiNation Global Finals is coming to the Convention Center May 21-May 24th. Teams from all over the country and the world will compete in our city next week in challenges that equip children with the higher order thinking skills required for the 21st century workforce. Creative and critical thinking problem solving skills are the focus of this process-based education program that is becoming increasingly popular in Chattanooga, Nashville, Memphis as well as cities all over the country. Worldwide press will cover the Knoxville DI Globals, as China alone will bring 20 teams to this year’s competition.Ironically, DI Globals is the largest annual event for the Knoxville Convention Center, bringing 20,000+ tourists to our city, 1100 teams from around the world, and 25 million dollars in revenue for the city of Knoxville, but participation on the part of Knoxville students is virtually non-existent and many Knoxvillians (including public officials), know nothing about it. Two local elementary school teams competed at the DI Regional competition held HERE, at UT, in early March. That’s right, two. Two out of 90 some schools in our public system. There were no teams from private Knoxville schools in the regional or state competition.One has to wonder, why, when this inspiring event is held in our own backyard, and parents and educators from around the world see fit to travel great distances to take part in it, do Knoxvillians know little to nothing about it. The school system doesn’t promote it. The media does very little to promote it. If it isn’t negative press, are we not interested? Have stone throwing at the County Mayor and the Commission, illicit and/or unethical behaviors on the part of teachers, state budget cuts to education, “education incentives taking a wrong turn”, referendums to ‘elect’ a superintendent etc. caused us to become obsessed with what’s wrong and blind to opportunities right under our noses? The DI Flagship Program has been around for 25 years; the Workforce Summit initiative would do well to look into how the program can begin to teach our youth very early on, some of the skills needed to keep our community economically strong.I too, have hit a brick wall when it comes to finding the appointed superintendent of schools approachable and have had no success reaching directors and heads of KCS education departments. Seems like there is much time spent starting up initiatives, many of which get cut when funding isn't there. Destination ImagiNation is not a grass roots program; there’s no need for re-inventing the wheel. Simply promoting involvement among our local youth will put no strain on the annual school budget. See the KSM events calendar for info on how educators, parents and goal-oriented community leaders can learn how to put DI to work in Knoxville.

[Lisa Starbuck]

Hear, hear. Word. Yeah. Ditto. Snap.