More than 1,200 kindergarten through college teams from 21 foreign countries, the Canadian provinces and 41 U.S. states will compete in Knoxville next week for world honors in Destination Imagination’s 2012 Global Finals youth problem-solving challenges.

The influx of an estimated 15,000 youth competitors, their families, volunteers, Destination Imagination staff and exhibitors is expected to fill campus housing at the University of Tennessee, which is hosting the event, and overflow into hotels as far away as Pigeon Forge.

A total of 1,260 teams averaging five to seven members each will compete in hands-on challenges involving the application of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), May 23 through 26. Officials said the number of teams is a 9 percent increase from last year, with most new teams from outside the U.S.

For the first time, the world will be able to watch the gala opening and closing ceremonies and other key events at Global Finals as they are streamed live over the internet during the week on DITV.

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