21 teams...7 schools....many many months of hard work...culminates...in this day. January 21st a day where junior high students from across Houston (1 from San Antonio, 1 from Dallas) competed in the Future City Competition 2017. Most school brought one team, several two, I was ambitious and brought three (by invitation from the host.) This is my tenth year as mentor for teams in this competition. Seven years in Georgia, and my third here in Texas. The Future City competition over my ten years has gotten more grueling and competitive. In Georgia each year there were about 132 teams, here in Houston on average 28. The rubric has changed making the requirements more challenging. Each region wants to make sure they send their very best team to nationals in Washington D.C.
It is a tough competition including many components: Playing Sims City (a video game) combining a presentation on every aspect of the game compiled into a power-point presentation, reflection included. A city description/essay on the topic chosen for the year, this year public spaces. This essay is 1500 words and needs to include a city description, background research on how the city was designed and an explanation of the types of engineering and science utilized in building the city. Also, a well-organized and thoughtful planning project including all the collaboration and design implementation used by the team. Last but not least, participants must build a 50 x 25 model including all of the innovations of their city using 90% or more recyclable materials. Finally on the day of, students present their findings in a 7 minute speech and 4-6 minute question and answer session with two different sets of judges, and a third set on stage in front of everyone if they make the top 5.
This year, for the first time in ten years, I have had the same team two years in a row. This made some aspects much easier, however each year all competitors are getting better and better. Many come from private schools where this is a class for them, while others merely an after-school club. None-the-less every team works very hard to be able to participate and I hope in the end, award in hand or not, they have had fun and learned a lot about design, collaboration, and public speaking. 21st century skills that are necessary to be a successful member of the working force. My three teams all did their very best. Two teams scoring very high in most categories. But, only one team per school can make top 5. This ensures that the wealthiest and private schools do not take every top 5 spot every year. To even the playing field so to speak. This upsets some parents, however, this has worked both ways for our school. We have a team who deserved to be in the top 5 but was pushed out due to another one of our teams making it in, this year however we were actually in 6th place going into finals but, another school had to lose a top 5 team because they had two, thus we slide up into top 5. The score differential in these cases .567 points. So very close scores in these cases.
My winning team this year, same as last year, came in 4th place two years in a row and were very disappointed. But after I went through the scores, letting them know where they ranked in numbers, they became more proud and content. I always say it is not about winning but what we learn. The schools that ranked higher, two were private, and one started this year with two students who won the competition last year. So...think about that I told them. They all had a slight advantage over us and you had a slight advantage over the 5th place team having competed two years in a row. You all did fantastic but it literally comes down to fractions of a point. This year the 1st place team actually won by 11 points which is unheard of, they deserved it, they were phenomenal.
A great day, they won 4th place and the best transportation award. And, shocking to me every year, this is my third year in a row where I have won the best teacher mentor award. I reflected on this award this morning, why do I get this award when somehow my teams never seem to take the top prize? I think it comes down to the fact that I am not in this for the accolades or for the win, it would be nice to win, but I never come in expecting to do so for the reasons stated, but just building relationships with my students is actually rewarding enough for me. My goal, teach them to teach themselves about city design, let them find their own voice, build their own models and simply support them in their decisions. Win or lose, who cares. The successes we are honored to accept are those of growth and humility. Have fun, play, laugh, and realize you did your best.
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