Central PA Middle School Students In Annual Future City Competition Regional Finals

What do engineering, economics, math and the environment have in common? They’re all topics middle schoolers from nearly 40 regions across the U.S. are tackling in the 2009-2010 National Engineers Week Future City Competition.

This year’s theme is “Providing an Affordable Living Space for People Who Have Lost Their Home Due to a Disaster or Financial Emergency.”

National grand prize is a trip to U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. More than 33,000 students from 1,100 middle schools are expected to participate nationwide.

Sponsored by the nation’s professional engineering community, Future City aims to stir interest in science, technology, engineering and math among young people. Future City is the nation’s largest engineering education program and among the most popular.

Students work in teams under the guidance of a teacher and a volunteer engineer mentor to design and build a city of tomorrow. They create cities on computers using the SimCity 4 Deluxe software and then build three-dimensional, tabletop models to scale. To ensure a level playing field, models must use recycled materials and can cost no more than $100 to build.

Students write brief narratives describing their city and must present and defend their designs at the competition before a panel of engineer judges who test the depth of the teams’ knowledge. They must also write and conduct research for an essay of 700-1,000 words on “Providing an Affordable Living Space for People Who Have Lost Their Home Due to a Disaster or Financial Emergency.”

Participants are asked to consider the social, economic and ecological impact of the manufacturing and construction techniques they design. The design should be constructed with the ideal of providing affordable homes to those facing disaster or financial crisis, and earning only 50-80 percent of the median income of the surrounding city. The living space needs to use sustainable materials, have a low-carbon emissions footprint, and achieve the “Green Ideals” of energy efficient building.

“Our students are enthusiastic, focused and highly motivated,” says Central Pennsylvania Regional Coordinator Bill Sutton. “They have a unique appreciation for this theme because they understand that it addresses some of the most pressing issues our society faces. Their work reflects the passion they feel and their commitment to trying to make the world a better place.”

For more information on judging or mentoring, visit the Future City Competition website or contact Regional Coordinator Bill Sutton by sending email to: wsutton@futurecity.org or call 717-319-3409.