Ashdown DI Teams

06/19/2026

Tune in this morning, as Ashdown DI goes back on the radio to talk about Global Finals and their amazing 3rd place finish!!!

06/09/2026

06/03/2026

Watch the video to find out why DI is unlike any other extracurricular opportunity out there! 🤩

This is team STEM CELLS attempt to describe the value of Destinatio...

06/03/2026

☀️🎉 Summer Instant Challenge! 🎉☀️

Think you've got what it takes to be a DI problem solver?

🏖️ The Challenge: Using ONLY items you can find around your house, build the tallest freestanding tower you can in 10 minutes!

Some ideas: 📚 Books 🧻 Toilet paper rolls 🥤 Cups 🎲 Blocks 🧦 Socks 📦 Boxes

The catch? Your tower must stand on its own for at least 10 seconds after you step away!

📸 Take a photo of your tower and post it in the comments. Be sure to tell us: ✨ How tall it was ✨ What materials you used ✨ Whether it survived the 10-second test!

Bonus points for creative designs, funny names, and family teamwork! 🌟

Ready, set, CREATE! We can't wait to see what our amazing DI thinkers build this summer! 🚀💡

🌞🏗️✨

06/02/2026

💜 We’re already gearing up for another exciting year of Ashdown Destination Imagination!

If your child loves creativity, problem-solving, STEM, the arts, teamwork, and fun challenges, DI may be the perfect fit.

Interested in learning more or joining a team for next season? Send us a Facebook message or reach out to one of our coaches that are tagged in the comments below!

✨ New members are welcome!

05/29/2026

🏆 LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE TEAM MANAGER OF YOUR 2026 GLOBAL FINALS CHAMPIONS!

We’ve met the brilliant students, but now it’s time to shine the ultimate spotlight on our fearless leader and the true heart behind this team—**Suzanne Ward**! ❤️🌟

Suzanne is the absolute backbone of our program, dedicating countless hours to these kids and pouring her whole soul into their success. She is our resident "Spreadsheet Queen," masterminding the logistics and figuring out exactly what it takes every single year to make these kids' biggest dreams a reality. 📊👑

She is the perfect blend of mentoring and drive that our kids need, standing as a huge example of what true hard work and dedication look like. When she isn't mapping out our next big move, you can usually find her personally writing and addressing thank you cards to every single supporter who helps our program thrive. ✍️💌

What makes it all truly incredible? She does all of this on top of being an amazing mom and working a demanding, full-time job that often includes heaps of unpaid overtime. 💼💪

Suzanne has made a profound, lasting impact on this team, and our historic journey to the Global Finals championship simply wouldn't have happened without her guidance, sacrifice, and love. Thank you for being our champion behind the scenes! We appreciate you more than words can say! 🥳🖤💛

05/28/2026

🏆 MEET THE TEAM: 2026 GLOBAL FINALS CHAMPIONS! 🏆

​Next up in our championship spotlight is our steady, cool-headed leader, Kyla Wright! 🌟

​Kyla is the daughter of Kelly and Emily Wright. Every great team needs a voice of reason, and Kyla is exactly that for us! She is a student at Ashdown Jr. High, where she plays clarinet in the band. When she’s not keeping everyone on track at practice, she is busy teaching herself the trumpet and trombone, or off chasing the thrills of a good roller coaster! 🎶🎺🎢

​Kyla was one of the big brains behind our technical game board this season, using her smarts to help bring our whole vision to life. But she didn't just stay behind the scenes, she traded her quiet leader hat to take center stage as our Infinity Game Show Host! Even though she absolutely hates having her picture taken, she is a total rockstar on stage and an indispensable part of this crew. In fact, we are pretty sure she is already busy plotting out the winning strategy for next year's DI challenge! 🧠🎙️✨

​Thank you for your leadership, your brilliant mind, and for helping guide this team all the way to a Global Finals championship, Kyla! 🥳🖤💛

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05/28/2026

🏆 MEET THE TEAM: 2026 GLOBAL FINALS CHAMPIONS! 🏆

Next up in our championship spotlight is the creative, passionate, and witty **Andrew Ward**! 🌟

Andrew is the son of Suzanne Spain Ward. While DI might not always be his first choice, this team sure appreciates everything he does for us! He has a hand in most projects whether he is supervising the crew or rolling up his sleeves to get the job done. But honestly, what else would you expect from the team manager's kid? 🛠️📋

Andrew is a student at Arkansas Virtual Academy. When he isn't helping out the team, he's a dedicated gamer and even plays the accordion! He also brings tons of fun energy and personality to every single thing we do the journey definitely wouldn't be the same without him. 🎮🪗✈️

Next up for Andrew is a whole new chapter, as he makes the move up to high school next year! 🚀🎓

Thank you for your hard work, your great sense of humor, and for being such a fun part of this Global Finals championship run, Andrew! Good luck in high school! 🥳🖤💛

05/28/2026

🏆 MEET THE TEAM: 2026 GLOBAL FINALS CHAMPIONS! 🏆

Next up in our championship spotlight is the incredibly creative and fun-loving 💫**Rayla Starks**!

Rayla is the daughter of David & Jennifer Formby, and Nick Starks. She is a true artist at heart who loves painting, drawing, and crocheting. When she isn't working on her latest masterpiece, you can usually find her out on the water paddle boarding or packed up and ready for her next traveling adventure! 🎨🧶🏄‍♀️✈️

Rayla brings so much joy and personality to our group, and her creativity absolutely shined this season. She was a big part of the hands on process of building our technical game board, and when it came time for the performance, she completely slayed in her blue alien makeup and brought her character to life on stage! 👽🧩

We are so proud of you, Rayla! Thank you for bringing so much artistic flair, hard work, and fun energy to this championship team! 🥳🖤💛

05/27/2026

🏆 MEET THE TEAM: 2026 GLOBAL FINALS CHAMPIONS! 🏆

​Next up in our championship spotlight is our tech mastermind, Shane Novak! 🌟

​Shane is the son of Joey and Cari Jo Novak. When he isn’t diving into tech projects, he is an amazing big brother to his sister, Harper, and he loves competing in Final Fantasy card game competitions! 🃏⚔️

​Shane brought some serious skill to our presentation this season as the creative designer and programmer behind the cyber truck used in our big game show reveal. It was such a fun element to the show!

​While we are sad to see him leave the team, he is definitely leaving on the ultimate high note as a Global Champion. Shane and his family are actually moving back to Missouri, which just happens to be the home of Global Finals! He has a lot of exciting things ahead, especially as he looks forward to jumping into Science Olympiad and competitive band. We are going to miss him tons, but since he's heading to the home of Globals, we sure hope to see him again.....maybe even at next year's competition! 🚀🤖🎷

​Thank you for everything you brought to the team, Shane! We wish you the absolute best on your move to Missouri! 🥳🖤💛

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