This year’s Alabama Regional Future City Competition (ARFCC) was held Saturday, January 16th, at the UAHuntsville Shelby Center.  The theme this year was “Providing an affordable green living space for people who have lost their home due to a disaster or financial emergency.”  7th & 8th grade students from across the state demonstrated their creativity and imagination and dazzled us with their excellent projects.  The 1st place winners will travel to Washington, D.C. to compete in the National Future City Competition!

The winners this year were:

• 1st Place – Whitesburg Middle School, Huntsville, “Kota Pohan” (Alabama Region Rep to Nationals in D.C.)
• 2nd Place – Academy for Science and Foreign Language, Huntsville, “Solaris”
• 3rd Place – Episcopal Day School, Huntsville, “New Eden”

Special Awards:

• Outstanding Engineer Mentor Award – Erica Jones, ASFL
• Students’ Choice Award – Whitesburg MS, “Stad Welvaart”
• Most Innovative Use of Water Systems (AIChE) – Hampton Cove MS, “Taaza Pur”
• Best Use of Renewable Energy (ASA) – ASFL, “Solaris”
• Best Computer Model (AMSC) – Whitesburg MS, “Kota Pohan”
• Best Use of Unmanned/Robotics Systems (AUVSI) – Madison County MS, “Tigertropolis”
• Most Innovative Use of Technology (HATS) – Liberty MS, “Liberty2″
• Best Use of Computer Technology in a Future City (IEEE Computer Society) – Whitesburg MS, “Kota Pohan”
• Best Telecommunications and Power Systems (IEEE) – Whitesburg MS, “Stad Welvaart”
• Best Use of a Thinking Approach (INCOSE) – Whitesburg MS, “Stad Welvaart”
• Best Use of Symbiotic/System Safety (SSS) – Hampton Cove MS, “Taaza Pur”
• Best Use of Sustainable Design (URS) – ASFL, “Zelenograd”