Have you ever had an idea in your mind as a child as to what the future would look like when in 2017? Did you envision people using flying cars or maybe living in space? Recently my family and I visited the local Future City Competition in Washington D.C. which showcased future cities built by youths from all walks of life.
Future City Competition in Washington D.C.
As many of you already know my 11-year-old Anthony is a bright-minded young man who loves everything about architecture and inventing. Anthony was definitely the most excited to see the cities that were built as well as the ideas they had for a better brighter future.
At this Future City event, we watched as 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future that showcase their solution to a citywide sustainability issue.
Youth Envisioning A Brighter Future
It is amazing to see how these young minds envision a world with less pollution and wastefulness of their spaces. While many of these are beautifully designed, a lot of them stuck out to my family as we had our imaginations pushed to the limits of what is possible for the world to achieve.
I particularly liked how even though each of these models is barely a foot tall, you can actually see them in your mind as to what our future could look like. Giving this mom a tingly happy feeling that my kid’s future is just as much brighter as these youngsters have imagined it to be.
Theme: The Power of Public Spaces
This year’s topic is “The Power of Public Spaces.” The task is to include a distributed network of innovative, multi-use public spaces that serves the city’s diverse population in future city design. Students present their ideas via a virtual city design, using SimCity Software; a 1,500-word city essay; a scale model; a project plan, and a presentation to judges at Regional Competitions in January. Regional winners represent their region at the Finals in Washington, DC in February.
Future City Competition
Future City is a flexible, cross-curricular educational program gives students an opportunity to do the things that engineers do—identify problems; brainstorm ideas; design solutions; test, retest and build; and share their results. With the engineering design process at its center, Future City is an engaging way to build students’ 21st-century skills.
Students participating in Future City
- Apply math and science concepts to real-world issues
- Develop writing, public speaking, problem solving, and time management skills
- Research and propose solutions to engineering challenges
- Discover different types of engineering and explore careers options
- Learn how their communities work and become better citizens
- Develop strong time management and project management skills
This year’s winner!
2017 Future City Champions: West Ridge Middle School from Texas (North)!
The team from West Ridge Middle School from Texas (North) won the 2017 Future City Finals with their city, Sociecity. Congratulations!
If your family would like to learn more about The Future City Competition as well as compete in the 2018 Competition. Head over to The Future City Website now. Have you ever heard of this competition before? Has your child ever participated? What do you think you would submit if you participated in this competition? What do you think we as a community/the world could learn from these young minds?
tiffanyhathorn
Thursday 23rd of March 2017
These look amazing! We should spend more time encouraging the youth. And listening to them.
The Trophy WifeStyle
Sunday 12th of March 2017
Omg just amazing !!!! I can't believe kids made these!! Some amazing work here that's for sure
ascendingbutterfly
Saturday 11th of March 2017
I used to love science fairs when I was younger, the future city youth competition would have been right up my alley!
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly
Victoria Heckstall
Saturday 11th of March 2017
Aside from Texas who won, I like China too; very fun to look t. But it is indeed that Texas showed futuristic architecture.
The Mad Mommy
Saturday 11th of March 2017
I love these visions so much! I remember thinking that the new millennium was so far away and it's gonna be so futuristic! Now, I am in it, LOL!