Katy ISD Students Headed to Global Stage After Strong Showing at Destination Imagination State Tournament
For a group of Katy ISD students, what started as months of brainstorming, building and problem-solving in classrooms and after school is now turning into something much bigger—a chance to represent their community on a global stage.
Following the Destination Imagination Lone Star Finals State Tournament, eight Katy ISD teams have qualified for the Destination Imagination Global Finals, set for May in Kansas City, Missouri. Competing against more than 500 teams from across Texas, these students didn’t just place well—they stood out in a competition built around creativity, collaboration and thinking through challenges in ways that don’t always have a clear answer.
A Program That Looks Different From Traditional Academics
For families in Katy ISD, Destination Imagination is one of those programs that often flies just under the radar—until you see what students are actually doing.
Unlike traditional competitions, DI asks students to take ownership of the entire process. Teams are given open-ended challenges rooted in STEAM subjects and are expected to design, build and present their own solutions. There’s no script, no step-by-step instructions—just a framework that encourages students to recognize a problem, imagine possibilities, collaborate as a team and adjust along the way.
It’s that creative freedom that keeps many students coming back year after year, and it’s also what makes the program feel so relevant. In a world where future careers are constantly evolving, these kinds of experiences give students a chance to practice thinking on their feet and working through uncertainty together.
Moments That Stood Out
At the state tournament, Katy ISD students competed across seven different challenge areas, ranging from engineering and technical design to improvisation and service learning.
One of the most talked-about performances came from the team “Wait for the Weights,” made up of students from Seven Lakes, Tompkins and Jordan high schools. Their project—“An Expanding and Contracting Expansion Effect”—blended engineering with storytelling in a way that caught judges’ attention.
Using hundreds of hinged popsicle sticks, the team created a Hoberman-style sphere that could expand several feet wide, then contract and reopen in a synchronized motion. The structure wasn’t just mechanical—it was used to express emotion through movement, turning a technical build into something more meaningful. Their efforts earned both the Renaissance Award and High Instant Challenge honors at the secondary level.
Mobile Sidebar Ad
Recognizing Teams Across the District
Several Katy ISD campuses were represented among the top finishers:
- Adams Junior High’s “Galaxy Girls” earned 1st place in Service Learning
- Wolman Elementary’s “Think about it” placed 2nd in Technical Challenge
- McMeans Junior High’s “7UP” placed 3rd in Engineering
Additional teams from Morton Ranch High School, Beck Junior High, Cinco Ranch High School, Katy High School and others placed in the top five across multiple categories.
Seven Lakes High School senior Isha Kura was also awarded a Destination Imagination scholarship, recognizing her long-term commitment and contributions to the program.
“Katy ISD students continue to amaze us with their creativity, resilience and ability to think beyond the expected,” said District Destination Imagination Sponsor Kristi Sides. “We are incredibly proud of the dedication they have shown throughout the season and the way they represented our District at the state level.”
Why It Matters Beyond the Competition
For many families, the impact of Destination Imagination goes beyond trophies or rankings.
The program is built around a simple idea: when students are given the space to create, collaborate and take risks, they grow in confidence. That process—figuring things out as a team, learning from what doesn’t work and trying again—is what helps students develop skills they’ll carry long after the competition ends.
It’s also what makes moments like this feel personal for the community. These aren’t just teams advancing—they’re students from local classrooms, representing their schools, their teachers and the support systems behind them.
What Comes Next
The eight qualifying teams will now prepare for the Destination Imagination Global Finals in Kansas City, where they’ll compete alongside students from around the world.
For Katy ISD, it’s another reminder of the talent already taking shape within its schools—and what can happen when students are given the opportunity to explore, create and lead.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.