National Engineers Week: Future City Competition

We put the “E” in STEM:

Using a hands-on, inquiry-based strategy, the Future City program gives middle school students a fun way to tackle real-world problems while building their STEM skills. Teams of students, with the guidance of a teacher and an engineer-mentor, design a city using SimCity software. Cost is minimal and we provide the software. The winning team gets a trip to Washington, DC to compete in the national finals.

Highlights This Year:

• Theme (research paper topic): Rethinking Run-off – managing storm water pollution.
• The program is now open to 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grades. Any public, private, parochial or home school is eligible to enter.
• We have developed the Future City STEM Learning Blocks to offer educators a series of project-based learning activities that uphold the integrity of the cross-disciplinary, STEM learning experience. The Learning Blocks, combined with the Future City program, provide a masterful incorporation of practical application to the current curriculum content.

This will be the 13^th North Texas regional competition. Last year more than 600 students participated. Dozens of engineers have already signed up to support the 2012-13 competition. We need your help to notify middle school teachers of this exciting, worthwhile opportunity. Contact me with questions, comments, or for more information (see also the website www.dfwfuturecity.org).  Registration deadline is October 31, 2012.

NOTE: Future City is aligned with the national standards for math, science and technology education (www.futurecity.org/resources_nationalstandards.shtm) and has been approved by NASSP for inclusion in the National Advisory List of Student Contests and Activities.