This fall, Louisiana’s middle schoolers will be among those participating in National Engineers Week Foundation’s 2011-12 Future City® Competition.  They are being asked to design a method of providing electricity for a future city using an energy source that does not deplete natural resources and has limited impact on the environment.

Students start with a research essay describing their concept, which this year is themed Fuel Your Future: Imagine new ways to meet our energy needs and maintain a healthy planet.

As students envision new ways to produce electric power, they will identify the benefits and risks of their energy source solutions and provide suggestions on how to minimize the risks that their solutions present.  Participating students will use SimCity™ 4 Deluxe software to design a virtual Future City model incorporating their ideas.  Then they will build a physical model using recycled materials which can cost no more than $100 to build.

As they address their alternative energy solutions, they will consider the safety, cost, efficiency, and appearance of their ideas.  They will also learn about the engineering disciplines that encompass their solution, including learning and identifying the steps of the design process.

The 2011-12 Future City Competition is expected to attract more than 33,000 students from 1,000 middle schools in regions located across the country.  The annual challenge has received national attention and acclaim for its role in encouraging middle schoolers nationwide to develop their interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).  Through hands-on applications, Future City participants discover by doing how engineering is both accessible and can make a difference in the world.  Last year, for the first time, sixth graders were invited to join seventh and eighth grade students in the competition.

For information, school registration, or to volunteer in the Future City Competition, visit www.futurecity.org. The regional competition for Louisiana will take place on Saturday January 21st, 2012, at the Southeastern Louisiana University campus in Hammond, LA.  

About Future City Competition

The Annual National Engineers Week Foundation’s Future City Competition, for sixth, seventh and eighth grade students, is held from September, 2011 through February, 2012. The Future City Competition is a program of the NEWF - National Engineers Week Foundation, a consortium of professional and technical societies and major U.S. corporations. Major funding for the national finals comes from Bentley Systems, Incorporated and Shell.

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