Madison, News, RSS Facebook, RSS General, RSS Twitter, Schools
 By  GreggParker Published 
4:42 pm Wednesday, May 21, 2014

National Space Club of Huntsville donates to DI team

Terry Abel, far right, presents a donation to Samurai Puppycats team members Aaliyah Coe, Laura Neveu, Devin Toney, Lauren Chambers and Danielle Oliver. (CONTRIBUTED)

Terry Abel, far right, presents a donation to Samurai Puppycats team members Aaliyah Coe, Laura Neveu, Devin Toney, Lauren Chambers and Danielle Oliver. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – National Space Club of Huntsville has donated $1,000 to a Destination Imagination (DI) team in Madison to reach the 2014 DI Global Finals.

The Samurai Puppycats team, coached by Dana Chambers and supportive parents, used the donation to compete at the finals in Knoxville, Tenn. on May 21-25.

Club director Patrick Scheuermann of Marshall Space and Flight Center presented the contribution at a breakfast on the Dynetics campus on May 14.

“They acknowledged this team that attends Rainbow Elementary School,” Chambers said. “We are so appreciative for their support and honoring us with funds to compete in Destination Imagination at global finals.”

Samurai Puppycats members are fifth-graders Aaliyah Coe, Laura Neveu, Devin Toney, Lauren Chambers and Danielle Oliver.

For its challenge, the Samurai Puppycats decided to solve a fine arts scenario, “Laugh Art Loud.” They had to choose an artist born outside the United States who has artwork in a museum.

Then, the team chose a piece of art that inspired them and wrote a ‘funny’ play that included three comic ‘freeze frames.’ For Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” “the team had to design and create all of their sets, costumes and dialogue,” Chambers said.

The team also had to build a “caption contraption — something that created a caption and froze at one point in their presentation,” Chambers said. Humor was a prerequisite. “That part wasn’t too difficult. They’re so funny.”

The Samurai Puppycats spent hours many hours in fundraising for global finals. They held car washes, yard sales and pancake breakfasts.

They also did “flamingo flocking,” or placing 25-plus plastic flamingos in someone’s yard. The homeowner can do nothing, and the students will remove the birds the next day. Or, the homeowner could donate $20 and specify the next yard that will be flocked.

Business leaders in National Space Club of Huntsville support students’ pursuits in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). “Their enthusiasm and support has propelled our team forward,” Chambers said.

For more information, visit spaceclub-hsv.org.

Also on The Madison Record
Rocket City Marching Invitational set for Saturday, Sept. 20 at stadium
Bob Jones High School, Madison, Madison County Record, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
MADISON – Bob Jones High School Bands, in collaboration with title sponsor KODA Technologies, will present the third annual Rocket City Marching Invit...
Mayor Paul Finley bids farewell, reflects on accomplishments at 2025 Madison Update
A: Main, Madison County Record, News, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - Madison Mayor Paul Finley will be leaving the office of mayor this Nov. after sitting out the Aug. 26 election. Finley addressed the busines...
District 6 seat to be decided Tuesday in runoff election
A: Main, Madison County Record, News, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - There is one final race to be decided from Madison’s municipal Aug. 26 election. The representative for District 6 on the Madison City Counc...
Heart of the Valley YMCA exits Chapter 11 bankruptcy, renews mission focus
A: Main, Business, Madison County Record, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
HUNTSVILLE – On Sept. 8, Heart of the Valley YMCA announced its successful emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This development marks a new chapter ...
MCDAB presents check to Parks and Recreation, chairperson steps down
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - After serving as the chairperson for the Madison City Disability Advocacy Board (MCDAB) for nine years, Janessa Crosswy is moving and steppi...
State lawmakers, local city leaders meet with Space Command leader to discuss transition
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
By ALEX ANGLE Alabama Daily News 
September 17, 2025
WASHINGTON — Space Command is moving quickly to bring the headquarters to Huntsville through meetings with members of the state’s congressional delega...
Best-Selling Author Jen Hatmaker to share memoir on Oct. 21
Events, Madison County Record, News, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
MADISON – Jean Hatmaker, “New York Times” Best-Selling Author, speaker and podcaster, will share thoughts from her memoir, “Awake,” at Blue Apple Book...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *