RALEIGH — Lumberton Junior High students won Most Creative Mobility for their city in the NC Regional Future City Competition.
Students ranked sixth place overall in the competition for their solution for climate change which was to mitigate flooding and emit zero greenhouse gases by only using renewable energy for their city called “Nue Chrysanthemum.”
This year's competition, which was held on Jan. 21 at N.C. State University’s Mckimmon Center, challenged students to create a city that exists 100 years in the future and incorporate futuristic solutions to climate change.
Students completed a narrative essay that described their city and their climate change solution. Then they completed a physical model.
“This is a rigorous process of researching, writing, engineering, public speaking and team-building. I am so proud of our students,” said Phyllis King, a PSRC CTE educator at Lumberton Junior High School.
King and Desi Bethea served as advisers for the group.
Students worked on the project two to three times each week during the first semester of school and their work has now paid off, she said.
“This is a huge accomplishment. The Future City Competition allows students to put everything they learn into application by applying science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills into a finished product,” King said.
“My students say this competition challenges them academically and they learn something new about themselves and what they can do,” she said.
She also wished to thank David Causey, who serves as an engineer mentor to the students.
Participating students included Heylin Perez Hernandez, Bralyn Brooks, Kaleb Thompson, Amir Leggett, Second row Kimberly Lopez, Kaden Flooyd, Ibraham Abumohsen, Derwin Walker, Heather Sampson, Iverson Sahm and Kayden Sears.
“Future City is a hands-on cross-curricular educational program that brings STEM to life for students in grades 6 through 8,” according to Future City’s website. “Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP) and project management skills, students showcase their solutions to a citywide sustainability issue. Future City is a program of DiscoverE. DiscoverE is a nonprofit dedicated to providing global resources, programs, and connections between K-12 students and engineers and STEM professionals.”
