Posted p.m. Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Students from 15 countries tackle local global issues June 7-11 at UWL.
Students from 15 countries tackle local global issues June 7-11 at UWL
More than 2,000 students and coaches will be working to solve community and world-wide problems during the 2017 Future Problem Solving Program International Conference June 7-11 at UW-La Crosse. Students from 15 different countries in grades 4-12 will compete as they tackle complex problems. The four-day event includes presentations, skits, writing and more. The general public is encouraged to attend student presentations throughout the competition which showcase students’ creative and critical thinking skills. “These young people are going to be our future leaders,” says Cheryl Whitesitt, executive director of Minnesota Future Problem Solving. “Through this competition, they are experiencing the rigor and learning the skills that they’ll need to be good leaders. In fact, many of them are making changes in their communities through these projects already.” [caption id="attachment_48944" align="aligncenter" width="685"]
Students from 15 different countries will compete as they tackle complex problems during the Future Problem Solving International Conference. This photo is from the 2016 conference at Michigan State University.[/caption]
Students at the conference will tackle both local problems from communities where they live, as well as global issues. The topic of biosecurity will become central to participants competing in the “global issues problem solving” event. Performers in the “scenario performance” portion of the conference will also use the topic when telling a futuristic story based on biosecurity. Participants in scenario writing event will also use biosecurity as the topic when writing a futuristic 1,500-word story.
Biosecurity or measures designed to protect the population against harmful biological or biochemical substances is a worldwide issue. “With the number of noxious pests, plant diseases, genetically modified crops and displaced species increasing around the world, monitoring and controlling the movements across national borders is becoming increasingly difficult,” according to the Future Problem Solving International Program website.
Learn more about Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI) at http://www.fpspi.org/index.html
Events the general public is welcome to attend:
Friday, June 9
- The first round of presentations related to teams' plan of action developed during the written component of the competition will be from 3-5 p.m., in 18 rooms across campus. Check in at “Problem Solving Central” in UWL’s Student Union main floor lobby to find room locations.
- Scenario performance competition (story telling) will be from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Graff Main Hall.
- Scenario writing championship presentations (reading of scenarios) will be from 7:30-8:15 p.m., Graff Main Hall.
- Community problem solving (CmPS) fair will run from 7:30-9:30 p.m., at the lobby of the Recreational Eagle Center. Team and individual presentations will occur at this time. Learn more at http://www.fpspi.org/pdf/ic/2017/CmPS%20Info%202017.pdf
- Presentation of action plan finals will be from 9:30-11 a.m., at various locations. The junior division, grades 4-6, will be in The Bluffs room, UWL Student Union; middle division, grades 7-9, will be in the Mitchell Hall field house; senior division, grades 10-12, will be in the Brian and Lori Hesprich auditorium, Graff Main Hall.
- Presentation of Action Plan Awards & Variety Show, Mitchell Hall gym, 6:45-8:45 p.m.
- Award ceremony, Mitchell Hall gym, 8:45-11:30 a.m.