Smith Middle School Team Wins World Championship at Destination Imagination Global Finals, Bringing First-Place Honors Back to CFISD
For families across Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, student success is often measured in classrooms, athletic fields and performing arts stages. This spring, a group of Smith Middle School students demonstrated that creativity, teamwork and problem-solving can also lead to world-class achievements.
A team from Smith Middle School captured first place at the 2026 Destination Imagination Global Finals, held May 21-24 in Kansas City, Missouri, earning international recognition while representing both their school and the broader CFISD community on one of the world's largest stages for student innovation.
The victory reflects the growing strength of STEM education, creative thinking and collaborative learning opportunities available to students throughout Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, while showcasing the talent and dedication found in local schools.
Smith Middle School's Stellar Squad Earns First Place
The championship-winning team, known as Stellar Squad, included students Nikhita Raavi, Anshi Putcha, Anvi Putcha, Anagha Vemuru, Stuti Vittal, Bethel Binoj and Trisha Arun.
The students competed in the Destination Imagination "Win it Big" challenge, which required teams to design and perform an original game show concept. Their creative presentation stood out among competitors from around the world, earning them the top finish in their division.
The team's success did not stop there.
In addition to winning first place, Stellar Squad received the prestigious Renaissance Award, one of Destination Imagination's highest honors. The award recognizes teams demonstrating exceptional achievement in design, engineering, execution or performance.
According to judges, the team impressed evaluators with its innovative portrayal of how the brain interacts with social media, a concept woven throughout the game show performance. The judges noted they were particularly impressed by the team's creative execution and storytelling approach.
A Global Stage for Student Creativity
Destination Imagination is an internationally recognized educational program that challenges students to solve open-ended problems through science, technology, engineering, fine arts, improvisation and service learning. Teams spend months developing solutions before presenting them at regional, state and global competitions.
The annual Global Finals event attracts thousands of students from around the world, making a first-place finish a significant accomplishment for any team.
For Smith Middle School, the championship highlights the dedication of students, coaches and families who invest countless hours preparing for competition while developing skills that extend far beyond the classroom.
Multiple CFISD Teams Reach the Podium
Smith Middle School's world championship was one of several standout performances by Cypress-Fairbanks ISD students at the 2026 Global Finals.
Cypress Ranch High School's team, The All-Stars, consisting of Gitali Yempati, Saanvi Khare, Likhitha Pothireddy, Srinitha Pathala, Anwita Paleti and Vaishnavi Anand, earned second place in the "Becoming Super" challenge. The team also secured third place in the "Win it Big" challenge, making them one of the top-performing groups at the event.
Sprague Middle School's Cypress Problem Solvers team, made up of Manav Rajashekar, Atharv Komirelly, Priyanka Chinta, Neelesh Kolisetti and Sivaharsan Selladurai, finished third in the "Casting Shadows" challenge, adding another podium finish for CFISD.
Strong Showing Across Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
In total, eight CFISD teams competed in nine events during the Global Finals competition.
Additional results included:
- Warner Elementary School's Inventive Warriors placing 11th in "Above and Beyond."
- Warner Elementary School's Time Legends placing fifth in "Win it Big."
- Anthony Middle School's The Steminists placing 20th in "Becoming Super."
- Smith Middle School's Ideas R Us placing fourth in "Casting Shadows."
- Bridgeland High School's The Athenas placing sixth in "Give and Take."
The strong results across multiple teams reflect the talent of students throughout Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and the district’s focus on helping students think creatively, solve problems and take ownership of their learning.
Why This Achievement Matters
While trophies and rankings are certainly worth celebrating, competitions like Destination Imagination help students develop skills increasingly valued in higher education and the workforce, including collaboration, creative problem-solving, public speaking, project management and engineering design.
For the students of Stellar Squad and their fellow CFISD competitors, the experience offered more than a chance to compete. It provided an opportunity to represent their schools on a global stage while demonstrating how creativity and innovation can turn ideas into award-winning solutions.
As the students return home with championship honors, their accomplishment serves as a reminder that some of the region's most impressive achievements are happening inside classrooms, robotics labs, makerspaces and after-school programs across Cypress-Fairbanks ISD.
What Happens Next
The success of CFISD teams at the 2026 Destination Imagination Global Finals is expected to inspire future participants throughout the district as students begin preparing for the next season of challenges.
For younger students considering joining Destination Imagination programs, the achievements of Smith Middle School's Stellar Squad demonstrate just how far imagination, teamwork and perseverance can take them.
Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for more Cypress-Fairbanks ISD student achievement stories and community updates.
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.
