Future City Competition

The 2023-2024 Future City Competition theme is Electrify Your Future! Read more and register.

The Future City Competition (FCC) is a project-based learning experience where students in grades 6-8 imagine, research, design, and build cities at least 100 years in the future. Schools or recognized youth organizations can form teams and have the option to compete in the state competition. Students spend approximately five months (September-January) completing the following deliverables: a 1,500-word city essay; a scale model of their city built from recycled materials; a four-part project plan; a 7-minute team presentation; and a Q&A session with judges (professional engineers who volunteer their time). The Future City Competition aligns with Minnesota Academic Standards in Science, Math, Social Studies, and English Language Arts.

Informational Zoom Sessions

Are you curious about the Minnesota Future City Competition? Want to learn what makes this national competition such a great experience for students? Contact MN Future City Coordinator, Colleen Feller, to schedule an informational Zoom session.

Registration – Open through October 31, 2023

Register for the 2023-2024 Future City Competition through the National FCC portal. The cost for participation is $25/school.

Project Deadlines:

October 31, 2023Registration closes
November 10, 2023Project Plan Part #1 & #2 due
December 15, 2023City Essay and Project Plan #3 due
December 22, 2023Schools confirm number of teams and names of students for the
MN Regional Competition
January 8, 2024Special Award selections due
January 17, 2024Project Plan #4 due
January 20, 2024City Model and Presentation due
January 20, 2024MN Regional Competition at Dakota County Technical College
February 17-20, 2024Future City Competition Nationals in Washington, D.C.

Sponsors

We would like to thank our sponsors for their incredible support! If you would like to learn more about making a financial contribution to the Minnesota Future City Competition, please contact Colleen Feller at 612-638-1511.

Platinum Sponsors

centerpoint energy logo
Eaton Logo

Gold Sponsors

ASCE logo
Emerson logo
Minnesota Transportation Conference and Expo logo

Silver Sponsors

American Water Works Association

Barr Engineering

City Engineers Association of Minnesota

HDR, Inc.

Minnesota Department of Health

WSB

Bronze Sponsors

Alliant Engineering, Inc. • Association for Facilities Engineering • Bolton & Menk, Inc.

Center for Transportation Studies, U of MN • Design-Build Institute of America – Upper Midwest Region

Great River Energy • HGA • Kimley-Horn • Kurita America • MN Association of County Surveyors

MN Federation of Engineering, Science, and Technology Societies • MN Society of Professional Engineers

National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying • Project Management Institute Educational Foundation

Society of American Military Engineers • SRF Consulting Group, Inc. • Stantec

2023 Minnesota Future City Competition Winners

mounds park academy students with future city model
1st Place: Mounds Park Academy – VAXA
Justice Page middle school students with future city model
2nd Place: Justice Page Middle School – Nadee Sooraj
Black Hawk middle school students with future city model
3rd Place: Black Hawk Middle School – Ethos
Twin Oaks middle school students with future city model
Honorable Mention: Twin Oaks Middle School – Varia Terra
scott highlands middle school students behind their future city model
Honorable Mention: Scott Highlands Middle School – Delhi

2023 Minnesota Future City Competition Special Awards

Winning teams receive an award plaque for their school. Each student on the team receives a gift bag with small prizes and a certificate.

Special AwardSponsorWinning Team
Most Innovative City Setting3MRosemount MS
Cordellia
Best Infrastructure SystemASCE MN SectionMounds Park Academy
Rayon de Miel
Engineering ExcellenceMFESTSMounds Park Academy
Geweven
Safe Drinking WaterMN Dept. of Health / AWWAJustice Page MS
Lavinstad
Best Transportation SystemSRF Consulting GroupScott Highlands MS
Nagreporma Ang Bagyo
Most Practical DesignMnSPETwin Oaks MS
Santou
Best Industrial /
Commercial Layout
AFE – Twin CitiesValley MS of STEM
Waterwalla
Most Innovative Power SystemEmersonValley MS of STEM
Ivylion-Topia
Readiness for Natural and Humanmade DisastersSAME – Mpls-St. PaulRosemount MS
Vatnaborg
Best Rail InfrastructureHDR, Inc.Grandview MS
Ville Verte
Most Effective Power GridEATONJustice Page MS
Taone Kokoru
Best Land Surveying PracticesNCEESTwin Oaks MS
Santou
Most Innovative ConstructabilityDBIA-UMRTwin Oaks MS
Varia Terra
Outstanding Future City Project PlanPMIEFNew Richmond MS
Von Kuppel
Outstanding EssayCenterPoint EnergyMounds Park Academy
Geweven
Outstanding City ModelCEAMBlack Hawk MS
Ethos
Outstanding Team PresentationCenterPoint EnergyJustice Page MS
Nadee Sooraj
People’s Choice AwardMN FCC Steering CommitteeScott Highlands MS
Delhi

At the Future City Competition, students learn…

How to use engineering to solve real-world problems.

The skills needed for effective teamwork.

The importance of strong writing, public speaking, and creativity.

Questions?

Want to learn more about the Future City Competition and how your students can participate? Visit the Minnesota Regional page or contact Colleen Feller at 612-638-1511.

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SparkPath presents its programs in collaboration with BrightWorks (formerly Metro ECSU). BrightWorks member districts/schools save 30-50% on SparkPath registration fees. For more information, visit www.brightworksmn.org.

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