ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS SCHOOL WINS CHICAGO REGIONAL
FUTURE CITY ® COMPETITION
CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM NOW HEADS TO FINALS IN
WASHINGTON DC, FEBRUARY 13-17
CHICAGO, January 18, 2010 – A team of students from St. Paul of the Cross School (Park Ridge, IL) has won the Chicago Regional National Engineers Week Future City ® competition. They will now travel to Washington DC to compete in the 18th Annual Future City National Finals (www.futurecity.org), scheduled for February 13-17, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill. More than 33,000 students from 1,100 middle schools in 39 regions across the country are participating in the Future City regional competitions. The grand prize is a trip to Space Camp in Alabama, provided by National Finals host Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for the infrastructure that sustains our world.
The three winning team members were, Christopher Gloeckle, Caroline Zimmermann, and Ben Paolelli, who collaborated with students Sam Anderson, Erich Kohberger, Rachel Maurer, Mehgan McErlean, Theresa Rathslag, Michelle Sisco, Joseph Swoboda, Mary Vozenelik, Jack Whalen and Lauren Whalen. The teachers for the winning team were Christine Stypka and Laurie Moran and their volunteer engineer mentors were John Zimmermann of Terra Consulting Group and Philip Spagnolo of Spagnolo Enterprises, Ltd. The competition took place at University of Illinois at Chicago on Saturday, January 16.
Celedon is a futuristic paradise located in Western Australia in the year 2170. Centuries ago it was the surfing capital of the world with an economy driven by extensive coal mines near the city. After the coal supplies were exhausted, the surfer-miners left the city leaving an environmental disaster behind. Sustainable housing domes led the recovery of Celedon. The early homes were 25’ diameter domes designed for a family of four. The 2-bedroom, 2-bath homes were inexpensive to construct, made completely of sustainable materials, and incorporated innovative ways to capture and reuse rainwater, recycle waste, and harness the power of the sun and wind. The extensive public transportation systems of Celedon have eliminated the need for the automobile, and the city boasts many pleasant attractions such as parks, playgrounds, sports fields, zoos and a convention center. The city even constructed a replica of Chicago’s John Hancock Building so Celedonians could enjoy the city and attract tourists. Residents of Celedon are provided the best health, safety and welfare available, and have the highest education level in Australia. The city is still looking to the future, planning vertical farms, tidal energy generators, and a carbon-free transportation system.
“It is exciting to see the interaction between the students and witness the enthusiasm that these students have in learning about engineering and the real life problems they encounter every day,” said Regional Coordinator Don Wittmer. “Our hope is that this competition helps students consider the possibility of studying engineering when they attend college."
Chicago runners up include:
Second place school: St. Clair RXIII, St. Clair, MO
Third place school: Franklin Middle School, Wheaton, IL
Fourth place school: St Paul’s Lutheran School, Brookfield, IL
Fifth place school: Mount Carmel Academy, Chicago, IL
For those wishing to compete in next year’s competition or has any questions, please contact Don Wittmer at dwittmer@hntb.com or (312) 930-9119 or visit the website www.futurecitychicago.org.
About the Competition
Students create cities on computers using the SimCity™ 4 Deluxe software, provided by Electronic Arts, and then build three-dimensional, tabletop models to scale. To ensure a level playing field, models must use recycled materials and can cost no more than $100 to build. Students must present and defend their designs at the competition before a panel of engineer judges who test the depth of the teams’ knowledge. Students also write a 300-500 word city narrative describing their city and a 700-1000 word essay on the topic “Providing an Affordable Living Space for People Who Have Lost Their Home Due to a Disaster or Financial Emergency.”
This year’s final round judges in Chicago included:
· Frank Avila, Commissioner – Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
· Rupert Graham, Superintendent of Highways – Cook Country Highway Department
· Betty Shanahan, Executive Director – Society of Women Engineers
· Randall Blankenhorn, Executive Director – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
· Kay Whitlock, Vice President of CBBEL & past president of the American Society of Civil Engineers –Illinois Section
In addition to the grand prize of a trip to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, the second place team receives a $2,000 scholarship from the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) for its school’s technology program. Third place receives a $1,000 scholarship from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for that school’s technology program. The 18th Annual Future City Competition for seventh and eighth grade students is sponsored in part by the National Engineers Week Foundation, a consortium of professional and technical societies and major U.S. corporations. While Bentley Systems, Incorporated supports the national finals, Shell is a major sponsor for many of the regional competitions.
About Engineers Week
The National Engineers Week Foundation, a formal coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major corporations and government agencies, is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers among young students and by promoting pre-college literacy in math and science. Engineers Week (February 14-20, 2010) also raises public understanding and appreciation of engineers' contributions to society. Founded in 1951, it is among the oldest of America's professional outreach efforts. Co-chairs for 2010 are ExxonMobil Corporation and the American Society of Civil Engineers. For more information, visit www.eweek.org.