LUDLOW, Vt. – During a recent meeting of the Ludlow Rotary Club, Team Manager Wendi Dowst-McNaughton shared the remarkable accomplishments of her Cavendish Fletcher Community Library (CFCL) Destination Imagination team.
Destination Imagination is a global, volunteer-led nonprofit organization that challenges students to apply creative and critical thinking skills to real-world problems. Through team-based challenges in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), students develop innovative solutions while strengthening collaboration, problem solving, and communication skills. Teams from 48 states and more than 30 countries around the world compete, presenting original solutions to complex challenges.
This year, the CFCL team, consisting of fourth-grade students Lily Woodell, Fisher McNaughton, and Carter Watkins, earned first place in the Technical Challenge division at the Vermont State Tournament. Their award-winning project featured a dragon with a movable jaw and tail that could play music, along with an original game show built around the dragon’s character and abilities. The team’s creativity, engineering skills, and teamwork impressed the judges and secured them a spot at the global finals competition in Kansas City.
During the opening parade, they proudly carried the Vermont state flag and banner, representing both their school and their state on an international stage.
Their success serves as an inspiring example of what young people can accomplish when they are encouraged to think creatively, work together, and embrace challenges.
The Cavendish team’s achievements are a source of pride for the entire community and demonstrate that local students can compete and excel at the highest levels of global competition.
The CFCL team had a challenge for the Ludlow Rotary members as well: a competition to create the tallest standing structure using only straws. Art Randolf, branch manager of M&T Bank, was the winner.
If you are interested in learning more about Rotary and would like to be a guest at its Tuesday luncheons, contact a local Rotary member.