November 2, 2009, Glassboro, NJ—In challenging economic times, many school districts face, extra curricular program budget cuts. Destination ImagiNation recognizes the importance of after-school activity and has launched a Sponsor a Team campaign to provide assistance for student teams to participate in this extraordinary after-school program.
The Sponsor a Team campaign allows any individual, business or organization to purchase a Team Pak for either a specific Destination ImagiNation team or a team selected by the organization as a team in need. The campaign will support all active DI teams across the U.S. and in more than 30 countries.
“Now is the time to invest in our youth to ensure they learn the 21st century skills critical for success,” said Nancy Farley, Louisiana Affiliate Director for Destination ImagiNation. “Schools across the country are feeling the fiscal burden, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t find new ways to provide students access to exceptional after-school programs like Destination ImagiNation.”
According to a 2009 report from the Afterschool Alliance, an analysis of 73 afterschool studies concluded that after-school programs using evidence-based approaches were consistently successful in producing multiple benefits for youth, including improvements in children's personal, social and academic skills, as well as their self-esteem. (The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, 2007)
“We have heard many success stories from families about the importance of Destination ImagiNation and the impact it has had on their children. From improving self-esteem to acknowledging learning challenges and styles, DI has given students the opportunity to succeed and shine,” said Peggy Middendorf, Program Coordinator for Destination ImagiNation. “We are looking for any individual or company that recognizes the importance of after-school programs and views a sponsorship as an investment in our future workforce.”
Sponsorships start at a 1-Team Pak for $135, and many increment options are available, including a non-specific Team Pak donation of $200. Each tax-deductable donation will help Destination ImagiNation provide access to hard-hit regions. To Sponsor a Team, visit www.destinationimagination.org or call 888-321-1503.
About Destination ImagiNation, Inc.
Destination ImagiNation, Inc. is an extraordinary non-profit organization that provides two educational programs for students to learn and experience creativity, teamwork and problem solving. Every year, we reach 100,000 students across the U.S. and in more than 30 countries. Destination ImagiNation, our core program, is an exhilarating after-school activity in which students work in teams to solve mind-bending Challenges and present their solutions at Tournaments. In our Destination ImagiNation 4-Life program, we design and implement cause-based programming for client organizations to reach target audiences in a powerful way. Destination ImagiNation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with more than 1.3 million alumni and a global network of 35,000 volunteers. Visit http://www.IDODI.org for more information.
