One of the goals of this experience is to get students interested in STEM at an early age. The competition does this by showing the problems they can solve in these careers.
AEC companies matched each team with an educator and a mentor as they learned how to conceptualize, iterate and troubleshoot their proposed solutions. The students then put their ideas in Sim City, an open-ended city-building computer game, to test the impact of their decisions in the long-term. This gave them the chance to consider the economic impact of their strategies. A budget for $100 covered materials to build a model. Students also wrote an essay and presented about their cities to a panel of judges.
Kinsey said that events like this can shine a light on the viability of careers in construction, ultimately leading to a more robust future workforce.
“The Future City Competition is a great way for kids to practice critical thinking and innovation," he said. "This process is more specific to STEM and construction than their typical curriculum, and the team dynamics and challenges are stimulating, like jobs in engineering and construction.”
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The team from St. Clair recently had the opportunity to compete at the national level in Washington, D.C.
