WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
There are so many ways to get involved with Destination Imagination of New Jersey, regardless of your age or experience. Below are several ways you can join this great community and ignite your own imagination while supporting New Jersey students! If you’ve got other ideas, we welcome them. You can contact us at njdi_directors@yahoo.com to let us know what you’re thinking!
*If you are a teacher, your school may offer additional incentives for volunteering with NJDI. This may include trainings counting towards professional development credits or even a comp day off.
Make friends for life: Form a team
NJDI teams include students in grades K-12 as well as University. Grab some friends and form a team, or you can contact us at njdi_directors@yahoo.com and we can try to connect you to an existing team. Teams are responsible for designing and creating 100% of their Team Challenge solution. Absolutely no interference from non-team members is allowed. If you’re brand new to DI, here’s more information on how the season works! You can find more information on age and grade requirements for the Challenge Experience here.
Facilitate the fun: Become a team manager
Being a DI Team Manager is a fun and rewarding way to spend time with awesome kids. The Team Manager is an adult (often a parent or teacher) who teaches the creative process and helps keep the team on track, but does not assist or interfere with the team’s solution. Anyone 18 or older can be a Team Manager—the only requirement is to be enthusiastic about facilitating a handful of students as they imagine, build, and grow. We offer guiding materials, training, and mentorship for NJDI Team Managers, and if you’re a little shy about jumping in or worried about the time commitment, you can always co-manage with a friend! Once you have your team, you’ll need to purchase a team number and complete a background check. If you have any questions about registering your team or signing up for our tournament, please email us at NJDIreg@gmail.com
Help make the magic happen: Volunteer as an Appraiser or Tournament Official
If you’ve never attended a DI tournament before, prepare to be blown away. In New Jersey, we run a State Tournament each year where students present their solutions to the Challenges they have worked on all season, and tackle fun Instant Challenges on the spot. No two Solutions are ever alike; you will be amazed by the ideas teams present that you would never have thought of yourself! Tournament volunteers, Appraisers, and Officials make all the magic possible by keeping our events safe and organized, checking in and announcing teams, and rewarding points using DI’s scoring system. No experience is necessary—all you need to volunteer is enthusiasm, an open mind, and a little free time. Contact us at njdi_directors@yahoo.com if you’re interested!
Catalyze positive change: Sponsor, donate, or join our Board of Trustees
As a nonprofit organization, Destination Imagination of New Jersey is always looking for sponsors, donors, and dedicated board members to help us sustain and grow our program. We’re currently focused on expanding to more areas of New Jersey, and making strides in diversity, equity, and inclusion. If you, your company, or organization can assist us in these or other areas, we hope you will contact us at njdi_directors@yahoo.com and make a one-time gift via our donation page.
