On January 21, 2023, 21 teams of 6th-8th graders competed at the regional Minnesota Future City Competition at Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount.
Student Survey Results
6% of students were in 6th grade, 43% in 7th grade, and 51% in 8th grade.
74% competed in their very first year of Future City Competition.
92% of students strengthened their project management skills while working on their cities.
100% of students learned how engineering can be used to solve real problems and help make the world a better place.
86% of students agree that the engineering design process helped them think of innovative solutions for their cities.
77% of students are interested in exploring engineering and/or other STEM careers.
94% of students would recommend FCC to a friend for next year.
Teacher Survey Results
“So many life skills are learned during the FCC project–project management, teamwork, organizational, and compromise skills are just as beneficial as the science, research, and engineering concepts learned!”
“I brag about the benefits of getting involved in Future City to parents and kids, and my parents are always so amazed at the work middle schoolers have done when they attend the competition finals. You all are amazing for ensuring this continues!”
Volunteer Judge & Mentor Survey Results
“I really enjoy volunteering as a judge at this event. It is heartening to learn how young people are thinking about the future.”
“For me, as a judge, it was a very worthwhile and rewarding way to spend a Saturday. I was much impressed by the depth of knowledge, the expanse of imaginations, and the enthusiasm of the teams that I judged or observed..”
“It provides a space for creative, innovative collaboration. It’s an absolutely amazing opportunity for learning.”
“It exposes them to how much planning and engineering actually goes on behind the scenes of cities, which is often unrecognized.”
We asked students what they learned about engineering, teamwork, and how cities run while participating in FCC.
“It was fun to work in a team and solve problems with communication and reasoning.”
“There are multiple responsibilities and roles of each engineer and they have to have good teamwork.”
“Your first “outcome” or “product” will not be your best one.”
“I learned that you had to plan a lot and engineering isn’t just making machines. They do a lot of different things!”
© 2023 SparkPath, Inc.
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.
