Middle Schoolers Win Partial Scholarships to USC Aiken

Aiken, SC (02/01/2022) — The Ruth Patrick Science Education Center (Ruth Patrick Center) at the University of South Carolina Aiken (USC Aiken) and Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) held the 19th annual Future City Regional Competition for sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade students virtually on January 22. McCracken Middle School in Spartanburg took first place, accomplishing the mission to design and build a model city with a waste-free future.

McCracken advances to the Future City International Finals in Washington, D.C. in February. The top team at that event receives $7,500 for its school's science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) program, plus a trip to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama.

"We are thrilled to be able to offer this program to middle school students across South Carolina and are amazed at the talent and level of work they produce. We hope that participation in Future City sparks their interest in STEM and perhaps the pursuit of a STEM career," stated John Hutchens, director of Special Programs at the Ruth Patrick Center. Among other prizes, the regional top team's students are presented with partial scholarships to USC Aiken.

Merriwether Middle School of North Augusta took second place in the regional competition, and the Dreams Imagination & Gift Development Program of Williston placed third.

Teams were asked to design a futuristic city using the three principles of a circular economy: designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.

Working as a team with an educator and STEM mentor, students presented their vision of the future through a 1,500-word city essay; a scale model of their city built with recycled materials; a project plan to help keep their project on track; a short video presentation, and a live, online Q&A session with a panel of technical judges. Keeping the engineering design process and project management front and center, students were asked to address an authentic, real-world question: How can we make the world a better place?

Though Future City is a competitive event for more than 45,000 students from 1,500 middle schools in the U.S., teams from other countries are also encouraged to participate in the competition. Canada, China, and Nigeria will send teams to this year's finals.

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This team of students from McCracken Middle School in Spartanburg took first place, accomplishing the mission to design and build a model city with a waste-free future.

USC Aiken

For more information contact: USC Aiken News (803) 641-3738, news@usca.edu

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