BERGHOLZ — Edison Local Schools will have 10 teams representing the district during the Destination Imagination Regional Tournament set for Saturday near Cleveland. Destination Imagination is an educational program where teams work throughout the year to solve open-ended challenges and present solutions.

The goal is to gain knowledge and experience in areas such as critical thinking and teamwork, as well as to build STEM- and conflict-resolution skills.

Contests will include fine arts, technical and service learning. This year’s groups will include two-time Global Finals participants Us of Edison Junior High School, a team which earned 10th place in the world for their category during the 2024 event.

Additional teams to compete will include from Stanton Elementary School. the Wackity Wack Wildcats and Sisterhood of the Traveling Wildcats. Teams from John Gregg Elementary School include the Green Sharks, F5 Weather Kids, Funky Five, Dodecahedrons, Fantastic Five and King Pigs.

Us members include all of its original contestants, while other teams are either new or a blend of longtime and newer members, officials explained.

“Edison Destination Imagination has 10 teams this year and all 10 teams will travel to Beachwood High School for the regional tournament,” said the district’s D.I. coordinator, Kelly Dopp. “For the last three years, we’ve been at around 10 teams at events.”

The Green Sharks, which includes Roen Kanter, Bella Berardinelli, Callen McConnell and Aurora Pesta, and F5 Weather Kids, which features Tyler Cronin, Nolan Myers, Leia Woods, Billy Ault, Kellin Fairclough, Ariana Hobbs and Ella Prokopakis, will join the non-competitive Rising Stars event where teams do not place.

Additional contestants include the Funky Five’s Jagger Bendle, Norah Ensinger, Aeriana Woods, Brynlee Van Fossen and Declan McConnell. The Wackity Wack Wildcats members are Isabella Skinner, Emma Hoobler, Lena Wickham, Joey Adamovich, Malaki Reynard and Wesley Ramsey competing in the “Worlds Beyond” elementary scientific division.

The Dodecahedrons team consists of students Casher Dopp, Briar Bendle, Brody Champion, Clairanne Jolly, Luke Bissett, Kinsely Cline and Maddox Richardson. Those in the group Sisterhood of the Traveling Wildcats include Sadie Snyder, Rachelle Search, Sophie Bowman, Aubrey Cook and Adalynn Glasure, who will take part in the middle-level scientific competition.

Us members include Connor Richardson, Nathan Myers, Beckett Dopp, Olivia Ferguson, Daleanee Devore and Lindsey Howell. The team is being featured in the middle school technical category entitled “Breaking Point.”

The Sunshiners team is made up of students Nash Bendle, Arya Long, Bode Berardinelli, Kyler Blancato, Chase Blancato and Olivia Rees, who will compete in the elementary engineering category.

The Fantastic Five group has students Noah Lucas, Learynn Hanson, Lillian Magby, Lanie Kruel and Ethan Warren, who will participate in the middle-level portion for “High Wire Act.

The King Pigs team is made up of students Landon Ankrom, Parker Reed, Nolan Powell, Lakyn Howell, Cadence Bendle, Adrianna Miller and Carson Ensinger, who are taking part in the middle-level fine arts category “Less is More.”

Dopp said the students were busy practicing for their big moment in hopes of advancing to the Destination Imagination Global Finals will be held May 22-25 in Kansas City, Mo. Activities will take place inside the Kansas City Convention Center, where more than 1,000 teams from across the world compete. Last year, two district teams ranked within the top 15 in the world, with team Us landing at 10th place in the middle-level technical challenge and the Baconators of John Gregg earning 13th place in the elementary fine arts challenge.

“They’re getting excited because it’s a month away and they are building their scenery,” Dopp continued.

Sunshiners members Arya Long, Bode Berardinelli and Chase Blancato shared their enthusiasm for the competition, saying they want to make the district proud.

“It’s fun and it’s different because I’ve never acted out things before,” said Long. “It’s something new.”

“I like doing new stuff,” added Berardenelli, who said he was excited about competing.

“I feel excited,” Blancato said. “It’s going to be new for me because I’m shy. I think I’m going to like it because I’ve never done this before.”