New Jersey Middle School Students Vie for National Recognition in Annual Future City Competition Regional Finals, January 12, 2013, at Rutgers University, Livingston Campus Student Center  

This Year’s Theme is Rethink Runoff – Students Are Asked to Design Clean Solutions to Manage Stormwater Pollution

Piscataway, New Jersey, January 9, 2013 — With scenes of disastrous urban flooding dominating the news, middle schoolers from nearly 40 regions across the U.S. are working together to develop their own solutions to combat the devastating effect of unchecked water runoff.  It’s all part of the 2012-2013 National Engineers Week Future City® Competition, with the exceptionally timely theme of Rethink Runoff: Design Clean Solutions to Manage Stormwater Pollution.

Since returning to school in the fall, students have been working on their Future City projects and preparing for January’s regional finals. First-place winners from each qualifying regional competition receive a trip to the Future City National Finals in Washington, D.C., February 17-23, 2013 during National Engineers Week.  The national grand prize is a trip to U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. More than 35,000 students from various middle schools are expected to participate nationwide. There are over 2,200 teams planning on participating in 36 Regional Finals around the country.  Here in New Jersey, there are close to 50 teams planning on attending the regional finals. Included in those teams attending is Union Beach Memorial School, which sustained devastating impacts from Hurricane Sandy that continues to prevent reopening of the school. While unable to compete this year, they hope to attend the competition and share some of their experiences and solutions. In New Jersey, the Future City Competition regional finals will be held on January 12, 2013 at Rutgers University, Livingston Campus Student Center.

Future City 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). The annual challenge is the nation’s largest engineering education program and among the most popular.

Students submit a research essay describing their solutions for this year’s theme.  As they analyze the most damaging effects of extreme weather, they imagine and design new and creative ways to manage stormwater that make city landscapes act more like natural landscapes. Using SimCity™ 4 Deluxe Edition software, participating students are working with an educator and volunteer mentor to design a virtual Future City model incorporating their ideas. They are also building a physical model using recycled materials which can cost no more than $100.

As each team addresses its stormwater runoff solutions, students will consider safety, cost, efficiency and appearance of their ideas. They will also learn about the engineering disciplines that encompass their solutions, including learning and identifying the steps of the design process.

“Who knows where new ideas or solutions will come from?  Future City presents real world problems to middle school students and allows such great flexibility and creativity, the ideas these potential future engineers and scientists come up with just may surprise you!”  Scott Lubarsky, PE, Future City NJ Region Coordinator.

For more information on judging or mentoring in the Future City Competition, visit www.futurecity.org, www.futurecity.org/new-jersey, or contact Scott Lubarsky at sblubarsky@gmail.com.

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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, 2012 through February, 2013. The Future City Competition is a program of National Engineers Week Foundation (NEWF), a consortium of professional and technical societies and major U.S. corporations.

About National Engineers Week Foundation

The National Engineers Week Foundation works year-round to sustain and grow a dynamic engineering profession critical to public health, safety, and welfare.  The Foundation supports engineering outreach, education, and celebration through a network of thousands of volunteers in its partner coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major corporations and government agencies. Together we meet a vital need: introducing students, parents, and educators to engineering, engaging them in hands-on engineering experiences, and making science and math relevant. The Foundation and coalition are actively putting the E in STEM.

For more information, visit www.eweek.org.