ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: Klein ISD Shines with 19 Teams Advancing to the Lone Star Finals 2025

Klein ISD is proud to announce that 19 of our Destination Imagination (DI) teams, part of North Harris TX Destination Imagination (NHTXDI), have advanced to the prestigious Lone Star Finals 2025! This accomplishment marks an outstanding achievement for our students.

Klein ISD will be among 475 Texas DI regional winners at the Lone Star Finals at the end of March. These teams represent the dedication, teamwork, and creativity that have become synonymous with Klein ISD's commitment to excellence.

“The opportunity to see our students embrace challenge, leadership, continuous improvement, and innovation reflects the vision we have for EVERY student in Klein ISD,” Klein ISD Director of Advance Academics Kathleen Plott said. 

Destination Imagination is a global program that challenges students to think outside the box, solve complex problems, and showcase their creativity through collaborative efforts. In DI, teams are tasked with selecting a challenge, ranging from creating a theatrical performance to engineering a structure or developing a solution to a real-world issue. Throughout the process, teams are encouraged to use critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork to bring their ideas to life.

This year, teams had to design and build structures that could withstand forces, develop performances that conveyed complex themes, or solve community-related challenges that addressed real-world issues. The journey was a true test of imagination and ingenuity, whether they were engineering a device to launch a ball, creating a skit around a social cause, or solving a puzzle using limited resources.

These teams are deeply grateful for their outstanding team managers, volunteers, appraisers, and families! Their unwavering support and dedication empower our students to compete, grow, and succeed together.

Congratulations to our 19 Klein ISD Destination Imagination teams! We can’t wait to see what incredible solutions you bring to the Lone Star State DI Finals.

Be sure to check out the highlight reel on the Region’s Social Media Pages (Instagram / Facebook / X) created by Lisa Mackey, NHTXDI Social Media Coordinator!

Destination Imagination Regionals Photos

The 19 teams advancing from Klein ISD this year represent 14 campuses in the district:

Elementary Level: Benignus, Ehrhardt, Fox, Hassler (2 teams), Klenk, Mittelstadt
Middle Level (Intermediate): Doerre, Hofius, Kleb, Schindewolf (2 teams), Strack (3 teams) 
Secondary Level (High School): Klein High, Klein Oak (2 teams)
University Level: Vistas Early College High School

 

Place: 1st
Team Name: Technical Difficulties
Team Manager: Carlye Read
School: Strack Intermediate
Challenge: Technical - Breaking Point
Level: Middle

Place: 2nd - TIE
Team Name: Scientific S’Mores
Team Manager: Tamara Fleming
School: Klenk Elementary
Challenge: Scientific - Worlds Beyond
Level: Elementary

Place: 2nd - TIE
Team Name: DI of the Tigers
Team Manager: Sarah Mendez
School: Hassler Elementary
Challenge: Scientific - Worlds Beyond
Level: Elementary
 

Place: 1st
Team Name: Cosmic Commanders
Team Manager: Cassie Penskie
School: Doerre Intermediate
Challenge: Scientific - Worlds Beyond
Level: Middle

Place: Bonus Team
Team Name: Be-KAW-se We Can
Team Manager: Dawn Baumel
School: Hofius Intermediate
Challenge: Scientific - Worlds Beyond
Level: Middle

Place: 1st
Team Name: Space Cadets
Team Managers: Tiffany Law & Kristy Munger
School: Klein Oak High School
Challenge: Scientific - Worlds Beyond
Level: Secondary

Place: 1st
Team Name: Panda-tastic
Team Manager: Alyssa Marino & Xuan Quynh Le
School: Mittelstadt Elementary
Challenge: Fine Arts - Less is More
Level: Elementary

Place: Bonus Team
Team Name: Chaos Theory
Team Manager: Leslie Hardee
School: Benignus Elementary
Challenge: Fine Arts - Less is More
Level: Elementary

Place: 1st
Team Name: Red Robbin’
Team Managers: Ron Beach
School: Strack Intermediate
Challenge: Fine Arts - Less is More
Level: Intermediate

Place: 1st
Team Name: Sparkle Squad
Team Managers: Kristy Munger & Tiffany Law
School: Klein Oak High School
Challenge: Fine Arts - Less is More
Level: Secondary

Place: 1st
Team Name: Good Vibes Tribe and the Jr. Jum
Team Managers: Dawn Saenz
School: Ehrhardt Elementary
Challenge: Improvisational - Are We There Yet?
Level: Elementary

Place: 2nd
Team Name: Determined Dynamites
Team Manager: Alexi Jolliffe & Andrew Jolliffe
School: Hassler Elementary
Challenge: Improvisational - Are We There Yet?
Level: Elementary

Place: 1st
Team Name: Purrita the Platypus’ Pringles
Team Managers: Matthew Quinton
School: Schindewolf Intermediate
Challenge: Improvisational - Are We There Yet?
Level: Middle

Place: 2nd
Team Name: We’ll Do It Tomorrow
Team Manager: Lindsay Roberts
School: Kleb Intermediate
Challenge: Improvisational - Are We There Yet?
Level: Middle

Place: Bonus Team
Team Name: Creative Mode
Team Managers: Ron Beach
School: Strack Intermediate
Challenge: Improvisational - Are We There Yet?
Level: Middle

Place: 1st
Team Name: The Council of Chaos
Team Manager: Jennifer Siger
School: Klein High School
Challenge: Improvisational - Are We There Yet?
Level: Secondary

Place: 1st
Team Name: Finding Bernard
Team Manager: Adam Munger
School: Vistas Early College High School
Challenge: Improvisational - Are We There Yet?
Level: University

Place: 1st
Team Name: Creative DInosaurs
Team Manager: Amber Johnson
School: Fox Elementary
Challenge: Service Learning - This or That?
Level: Elementary

Place: 1st
Team Name: DI-nosaurus Rexes
Team Manager: Kerrie Coleman
School: Schindewolf Intermediate
Challenge: Service Learning - This or That?
Level: Middle