Preparations are under way for the third annual Global Cardboard Challenge at The Wilson School on October 11. Sponsored by the Imagination Foundation, children from all over the world are invited to enjoy a day of play while building “something amazing out of cardboard, recycled materials, and imagination.”

Last year, Wilson was the only St. Louis-area school to participate. With a diverse school community, emphasis on global competency and awareness, and a commitment to fostering creativity and innovation, Wilson’s faculty and administration felt the Challenge was a perfect match for their pre-k through sixth graders. When the big day came, delighted visitors witnessed students happily working at an active cardboard “creation station,” playing newly invented games, and showing off their innovations in a special “museum” built for the Challenge.

This year, in partnership with the nonprofit KidSmart, Wilson is encouraging more local schools and community groups to get involved. In keeping with their school’s motto, “Make Your Mark a Good One,” a service aspect has been added; Wilson is looking for other corporate sponsors to match its efforts, now and in the future.

The Wilson community is excited for this year’s Challenge. “Costumes” is their theme and, since a Halloween parade is a long-standing tradition, everyone looks forward to seeing what creative designs are to come. Wilson’s technology coordinator, Melika Panneri, says the Cardboard Challenge “reminds everyone that no matter where we live in the world, and no matter how old we are, we all share in the joy that comes from using our imagination.”

Learn more about the Global Cardboard Challenge at http://imagination.is/our-projects/cardboard-challenge/.