‘Nerd Herd’ receives big boost as winners of Schools Rule! funds
by Beth Kraft
Mondovi Elementary students thought they had been brought together for an assembly to hear about this summer’s reading program. But as principal Paul Franzwa began to outline the specifics, there was a loud knock at the door to Mondovi’s small gym.
In rolled the “Gordy’s Guru” Matt Selvig on a scooter, dressed in plaid shorts held up by suspenders and thick glasses.
“I’m looking for the ‘Nerd Herd,’” the Guru stated, squinting at the sea of stunned student faces with a sly grin.
Selvig and WEAU 13 News’ Nikki Junewicz visited Mondovi on Thursday, May 14, to name Mondovi Elementary and the “Nerd Herd” this month’s winner of the Schools Rule! contest.
The shock was evident on the faces of “Nerd Herd,” Mondovi’s fourth and fifth grade Destination Imagination team, as they were awarded $3,000 in Box Tops for Education, courtesy of General Mills.
Selvig and Junewicz explained they selected the “Nerd Herd” after the school was nominated numerous times. Those nominations explained that the DI team was in need of funds in order to attend the Destination Imagination Global Finals in Knoxville, Tennessee, this week.
The group qualified to compete at Globals after their original “Feary Tale” took third place at the DI State competition in Stevens Point last month and they placed first in the Instant Challenge category.
However, getting Globals came with a large expense—about $15,000—that students, parents, teachers and others in the community have worked hard to meet in time.
“Nerd Herd” advisor Kaylan Altman was both surprised and pleased to report that between the Schools Rule! dollars and the money from several fundraising events that have taken place within the last month, the group has reached their goal.
“It was huge,” Altman said of the community support the “Nerd Herd” has received to help them make the trip. “It’s like the students have been saying all year—‘anything’s possible.’”
Altman said the Box Tops dollars will be used to help pay for additional opportunities for the DI students while they are visiting the Knoxville area.
In addition to interacting with children from all over the U.S. and 18 different countries, the group plans to attend skills workshops, the Innovation Expo and visit Dollywood while at Globals, among other activities. The “Nerd Herd” will be competing on Thursday, May 21, performing their “Feary Tale” entitled “Billy Bad Breath and the Terrible Toothbrush” and completing another Instant Challenge.
For more information about DI, please visit www.destinationimagination.org.
To nominate a school for consideration as the next Schools Rule! contest winner, please visit weau.com/contests.
