A group of young innovators from San Ramon has made their mark on the international stage. A team of 6th and 7th graders from Windemere Middle School earned second place out of 100 teams at the prestigious Destination Imagination Global Finals, held earlier this month. Their success didn’t stop there they were also honored with the coveted Da Vinci Award, which recognizes teams that display extraordinary creativity and innovative thinking.

The students, competing under the team name “Well Done Potatoes,” impressed judges with their inventive approach to a complex engineering challenge. Their solution involved suspending weights from a bridge structure without using any connectors—a method that stood out among dozens of other entries for its originality and technical execution.

Destination Imagination is an international, project-based educational program that fosters creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork among students. This year’s global competition saw participation from hundreds of students worldwide, making the Well Done Potatoes’ achievement especially notable.

San Ramon has a strong history of success in the program. Last year, seven students from the area placed first in both regional and state-level events. The year before, middle schoolers from both Gale Ranch and Windemere Ranch qualified for the global finals as well.

This year’s standout team includes Harish Natarajan, Sarun Mannava, Sahaj Bansal, Harsha Bharath, Krishna Ganesh, Sanat Chakkenchath, and Akshaj Patil. They were guided by team managers Meena Ramanathan and Latha Amilineni, who helped the students navigate the challenges and meet deadlines.

The remarkable performance of these students reflects not only their academic and creative abilities but also the support system provided by their school, parents, and mentors. Their global recognition underscores the importance of nurturing creativity and hands-on learning at an early age, and their story serves as inspiration for other young innovators across California and beyond.