As graduation season arrives, we’re proud to celebrate the Destination Imagination (DI) Class of 2026 and recognize this year’s scholarship recipients.
Through Destination Imagination, these students have grown as creative thinkers, collaborators, leaders, and supporters within their schools and communities. Some discovered confidence they didn’t know they had, some found new ways to encourage and inspire others, and some realized the difference they could make when they shared their voice and creativity with the people around them.
Please join us in congratulating our 2026 DI scholarship recipients.
Graduate of the Year: Dulce Ana Victoria Valencia Perez
The DI Graduate of the Year Award recognizes an exceptional student who exemplifies Destination Imagination’s mission to ignite creativity, collaboration, and innovation among young people.
Known to family and friends as Anita, Dulce Ana Victoria Valencia Perez is from Guatemala and plans to study Business Administration at Universidad San Pablo de Guatemala. Through photography, graphic design, and baking, she has found creative ways to connect with others, tell stories, and bring ideas to life.
Before joining Destination Imagination, Anita often saw herself as shy, especially in large groups or unfamiliar environments. Over time, DI helped her become more confident in sharing her ideas, expressing herself creatively, and building stronger connections with others.
Reflecting on her experience, Anita shared, “It gave me a voice, but more importantly, it gave me the courage to use it.”
That confidence has carried into the way she supports her community today. Through her church involvement, Anita has organized and led activities for children that encourage creativity, teamwork, and confidence through hands-on experiences. She also served as a DI Appraiser, where she focused on making sure participants felt encouraged, appreciated, and recognized for their creativity and effort.
Anita describes herself as someone who values authenticity, personal growth, and creating experiences that leave a lasting impact on others. Through DI, she discovered not only a stronger creative voice but also the confidence to use it to encourage the people around her.
Destination Imagination is proud to recognize Dulce Ana Victoria Valencia Perez as the 2026 Graduate of the Year.
Founders Award: Pooja Rajesh
Created to honor the spirit of volunteerism and giving back within the Destination Imagination community, the Founders Award recognizes a student whose experiences reflect leadership, perseverance, creativity, and service to others.
Pooja Rajesh, who plans to attend UCLA, has consistently embraced opportunities that pushed her outside of her comfort zone and encouraged her to grow creatively and personally.
During middle school, Pooja Rajesh experienced a major disruption to her education when what was supposed to be a short trip to India for a visa renewal unexpectedly turned into six months away from home for Pooja Rajesh and her family. While trying to stay connected to classes in California remotely during the pandemic, she often attended school in the middle of the night. Though the experience challenged her confidence both academically and personally, it also strengthened her resilience and determination.
When she returned to school, Pooja became more involved in activities and opportunities that pushed her outside of her comfort zone, including starting a film club, playing basketball, and joining student leadership. Reflecting on that period of her life, Pooja shared that the experience motivated her to stop holding herself back and become more involved in the opportunities around her.
She then carried that same mindset into Destination Imagination, where creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving became an important part of her growth. Through DI, she says she learned to approach challenges with curiosity, embrace the unexpected, and think creatively inside and outside of the competition.
Beyond participating as a team member, Pooja also embraced a new opportunity to give back. Last year, she co-managed a junior high DI team, encouraging students as they worked through ideas, developed problem-solving skills, and navigated the DI Creative Process together throughout the season. The team went on to win their Regional Tournament and place in the top three at their Affiliate (state) Tournament.
“Seeing their excitement made me realize how powerful encouragement is,” she said.
A pivotal lesson from DI occurred during a season marked by script rewrites, redesigned props, and urgent problem-solving. The night before the competition, her team discovered a major prop wouldn’t fit into their car, so they had to quickly rebuild it.
“This taught me that failure isn’t the end. It’s part of creativity,” Pooja reflected. “Often, the best ideas come from mistakes and unexpected twists.”
Outside of DI, Pooja’s experiences have also shaped her thinking about advocacy, environmental awareness, and the importance of supporting voices that are often unheard. She shared that she hopes to continue carrying those values forward.
Reflecting on her overall DI experience, Pooja shared, “DI isn’t just a competition. It’s a place where I was able to grow, connect, and imagine new possibilities. I’m so, so grateful for the experience.”
Destination Imagination is proud to recognize Pooja Rajesh as the 2026 Founders Award recipient.
2026 DI Scholars
Each year, the DI Scholars Award honors students who embody the core values of Destination Imagination: respect, collaboration, stewardship, perseverance, and integrity.
Destination Imagination is proud to recognize the following 2026 DI Scholars Award recipients:
- Erika Quarterman of Florida, who plans to attend Florida A&M University
- Adam Grothmann of North Dakota, who plans to attend North Dakota State University
- Catherine Cardenas of Texas, who plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering
- Lily Latombe of Texas, who plans to attend the University of Texas at Dallas
- Finn Mathews of Wisconsin, who plans to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison
Congratulations again to all of our 2026 scholarship recipients, and to our global Class of 2026! We’re proud to celebrate your accomplishments and look forward to seeing where your creativity, skills, and experiences take you next!
