A 6th grade UMS Future Problem Solving (FPS) team, two UHS FPS teams, and one high school individual qualified for state contest in Ames, Iowa, on April 11 and 12.

UMS students who attended were: 6th Grade: Emma Carlson, Madison Frush, Brayden Grosse, Rhett Peters, and Piper Wiedenhoff; 9th Grade: Kaitlin Holschlag, Lizzie Kline, Peyton Parker, and Payton Sash; 10th Grade: Keiara Faiferlick, Trevor Krug, and Weston Krug; 11th Grade Individual: Kaitlin Moore.

The 6th grade team placed 3rd in the junior skit competition; the 9th grade team place 4th with their middle level written packet; and Kaitlin Moore placed 4th with her senior level individual written packet.

Future Problem Solving is a program which engages students in creative problem solving and encourages students to develop a vision for the future. Topics covered this year were social isolation, desertification, and surveillance society. The topic for April’s state contest was “Land Transportation.”

Each FPS team of three to five students or an individual participant researches the assigned topic and reads a fictional scenario (future scene) based on the topic. The team uses a six-step process which includes identifying challenges, selecting an underlying problem, producing solution ideas, generating and selecting criteria, applying the criteria, and developing an action plan. The team has exactly two hours to complete the twelve-page packet. Packets are sent for evaluation and returned with a score, ranking, and recommendations on how to improve.

Students experience the excitement of creative thinking and the challenge of resolving complex problems with unique solutions when they participate in FPS. Competitions like State FPS allow academically talented students the opportunity to showcase their creative skills in much the same way sports showcase star athletes. Teams and Individuals who rank first or second in Ames will advance to International FPS Contest held in June.

The FPS teams at the middle school and high school are students in the gifted and enrichment programs with Mrs. Vada Elliott.