Special contribution by Lennon Formaggini
For Cristina Guzman, Destination Imagination isn’t just another extracurricular activity—it’s a life-changing experience for students, one that fosters creativity, collaboration, and resilience. That is why, in addition to being a coordinator at New Tech High School at B.F. Darrell, she is also a passionate team manager who has dedicated herself to bringing the magic of DI to her school.
“DI has had a profound impact on my professional and personal life,” she said. “Coaching has allowed me to build special bonds with my students as I watch them fail, learn, grow, and succeed. Witnessing their creativity, dedication, and resilience firsthand has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.”
DI, where students compete at regional, state, and national levels, is one of Student Activities’ most popular programs. It inspires students to solve problems, search for creative solutions, and work cooperatively with others.
Guzman, along with her co-manager Joe Jenkins, has been the DI coach at the school for four years. When she joined New Tech, she was surprised to find that the school didn’t yet have aDI team. Without hesitation, she jumped at the opportunity to bring the program to the students.
In 2022, she recruited a team of sophomores, naming them The Breakfast Club. What followed was nothing short of extraordinary.
“When we first started, we had no idea how much this journey would impact us,” she said. “We came in as underdogs, and now we’ve made it to state four years in a row and to globals twice. Watching my students’ hard work and determination pay off has been incredible.”
In this year’s state competition, Guzman led her team to yet another win, placing first in the Secondary Level Fine Arts category, which earned them another shot at Global Finals 2025.
Looking back on that first year, Guzman reflected that it was a journey that would shape not just the team’s future, but her own as well.
“I could never have imagined the impact DI would have on their high school experience,” said Guzman, who as a coach fosters a space where creativity and teamwork thrive.
“I create an environment where students feel encouraged to take risks, collaborate, and think outside the box,” she said. “It’s essential that they feel free to express their ideas without fear of judgment, allowing them to build on each other’s creativity.”
Guzman also integrates activities designed to bring the team closer together by strengthening trust, communication, and problem-solving skills, ensuring that teamwork becomes second nature, she said.
“This approach has been key in developing a group of students who not only excel at DI but also form lasting bonds that extend well beyond the competition,” she said.
Each year has meant lasting experiences for the New Tech team.
“One of the most special moments was when we were paired as a buddy team with a group from Turkey,” she said. “Beyond supporting each other’s performances, our teams shared language, culture, and even food. It was an incredible reminder that DI is not just about competition—it’s about connection.”
However, one moment stands out above all others in Guzman’s coaching career: watching her first-ever team, The Breakfast Club, achieve its dream of making it to globals after first competing in 2022. The team competed as The Lunch Club in 2023, and in 2024 as The Dinner Club. Its final performance at globals was the culmination of hard work, perseverance, and growth, said Guzman.
“In life, even when you put your heart into something, success isn’t always guaranteed, but that doesn’t mean you give up,” she said. “That’s a lesson they can carry far beyond the competition.”