The 33rd Annual Utah Future Problem Solving Competition took place on Saturday, April 14, 2012 at Westminster College. It was a great day of problem solving that began with a welcome meeting for students, coaches, parents, and volunteers. Then students worked for two hours to complete their competitive booklets on the topic of Trade Barriers. After lunch, students prepared their skit presentations and later performed them. A little free time followed, and finally it was time for the dinner reception and awards ceremony.

Here are the 2012 Utah Future Problem Solving Competition results. First place winners from Utah are invited to compete at the International Future Problem Solving Competition at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, June 7-10, 2012.

Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make the 33rd Annual Utah Future Problem Solving Competition a big success: coaches, evaluators, skit judges, hall monitors, directors, parents, and of course, student competitors!

Hey, FPS Fans!  Would you like to get noticed as one of the smartest and most creative kids (or coach or parent) in Utah?  For the low price of $10.00, a Utah FPS T-shirt can be yours.  All shirts are white, Beefy T, short-sleeved, with the way cool logo on the front. All sizes are available, from youth large to adult XXL.  Shirts will be sold at the State Bowl on April 14^th, beginning at 8:00 a.m.  Or, you may call Lisa Mietchen at 801-272-6846 to arrange a pickup before the State Bowl.  These shirts are smokin’ and will go fast!

Take a look at the logo:

Utah FPS Logo

Our State competition for Utah Future Problem Solving is coming up on Saturday, April 14, 2012, at Westminster College. It will be a full day of problem solving fun! This year’s topic is Trade Barriers. Here’s a description:

Historically, states have relied on trade barriers–such as subsidies for domestic producers, import quotas, and tariffs–to protect domestic economic interests. Many economists have long argued, however, that such barriers can limit potential economic growth, may only benefit certain politically powerful groups like labor unions, and have other harmful effects. To combat these concerns, policymakers around the world have created new treaties and institutions, such as the World Trade Organization, on the theory that reducing trade barriers will increase economic prosperity. But others argue that the benefits of tearing down trade barriers mean fewer jobs and lower wages for farmers, factory workers, and relatively less-educated employees. Should policymakers strive for Free Trade or Fair Trade in the future–or some balance of the two?

Start doing your research and coming up with some creative ideas! We’ll see you on April 14th!

Way to go in getting your competitive booklets done the for Qualifying Problem! What an interesting topic, eh? Human Rights is something we should all know about. Now it’s the evaluators’ turn to go to work. Each booklet will be evaluated and ranked by two evaluators to determine who qualifies for the State Bowl on April 14, 2012. Coaches, we should have news about who has qualified for State by March 5. Good luck, Utah Future Problem Solvers!

Good work on Practice Problem 2, everyone. The evaluators were impressed with your creativity.

The topic for the Qualifying Problem is Human Rights. Coaches, you should have received an alternate future scene to practice with your teams and individual students. You will be emailed the Qualifying Problem Future Scene the last week of January.

Please use this scoresheet for Practice Problem 2 and the QP: BLANK-SCORESHEET-2012.

If you’re interested in a really cool Utah FPS T-shirt, call Lisa Mietchen at 801-272-6846.  The shirts are $10.00 each and range in size from Youth Large to Adult XXL.

Utah FPS Conference 2011

Coaches, bring your team and join us for an afternoon filled with great sessions including information on this year’s topics, introduction to the FPS process, and ways to boost your team’s problem solving abilities! This training is a must for all coaches – new and experienced! It is also highly recommended for the curious but not yet committed…

Friday, October 14, 2011 4 pm-7 pm

(Note the date change from 10/7 to 10/14!)

FREE – with a registered team!! For more information, contact Joan Giroux-Bramble @ jbramble@graniteschools.org.

It’s time to register for Future Problem Solving and Community Problem Solving. 2011-2012 is going to be a great year, and we hope you can join us. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment, and we’ll get back to you pdq.

Here’s what you’ll need to register: 2011-2012 FPS Registration Packet.

Welcome back to our group of Utah students, coaches, and parents who attended the Future Problem Solving International competition in La Crosse, Wisconsin. From June 8-12, students had a lot of fun problem solving, preparing presentations, and meeting other students from around the world. And we’re happy to report that they did very well in the competition! Congratulations, all!

We’d also like to congratulate and honor Sylvia Mathis, who has coached teams from Wasatch Elementary, Clayton Middle School, and West High School, for winning the Keith Frampton Coaches Award for excellence. Impressive!

Results from Internationals:

First Place, Presentation of Action Plan

Students from West High School & Clayton Middle School & Wasatch Elementary School:  Emma Culver, Madeleine Duncan, Elizabeth Furbush, Sasha Sloan, Maddie Hadley, Elizabeth Miller, Natasha Bailey.

Coach:  Sylvia Mathis

First Place, Alternate Global Issues Competition

Maddie Hadley, West High School

Coach:  Sylvia Mathis

Second Place, On-Site International Scenario Writing

Ryan Barney, Morningside Elementary

Coach:  Patti White

Second Place, International Scenario Writing

Michael Tao, Morningside Elementary

Coach:  Patti White

It snowed almost all day long, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of our Utah Future Problem Solvers as they competed in the State Bowl on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at Westminster College. Energy, critical thinking, and creativity were all in high gear as teams and individuals solved problems and presented skits on the topic of Water Quality. At the end of the day, Utah’s Community Problem Solving teams presented their projects at a Community Problem Solving Fair and reception before the Awards Ceremony. We are proud of all our Utah Future Problem Solvers for your amazing creativity and problem solving abilities! A big THANK YOU to our coaches, evaluators, and other volunteers who helped make this year a rousing success! See you all next year–keep thinking!

Here are the results of the State Bowl:

Global Issues Problem Solving

Junior Division:  Team

FIRST PLACE:  Team J115, Cottonwood Elementary. Coach:  Marcelle Ross

SECOND PLACE:  Team J106, Eastwood Elementary. Coach:  Jennifer Flitton

THIRD PLACE:  Team J110, Highland Park Elementary. Coach:  Pam Krieps

FOURTH PLACE:  Team J102, Wasatch Elementary. Coach:  Caralyn Bingham

FIFTH PLACE:  Team J113, Fox Hills Elementary. Coach:  Tamera Wright

Middle Division:  Team

FIRST PLACE:  Team M201, West High School. Coach:  Sylvia Mathis

SECOND PLACE:  Team M203, Hillside Middle School. Coach:  Janet Jamison

THIRD PLACE:  Team M202, Wasatch Jr. High School. Coaches:  Melanie Zucker & Liz Richey

Junior Division:  Individual

FIRST PLACE:  Elizabeth Miller, Wasatch Elementary. Coaches:  Caralyn Bingham & Sylvia Mathis

SECOND PLACE:  Jared Pettit, Morningside Elementary. Coach:  Lynda Davis

THIRD PLACE:  Caroline Hoole, Cottonwood Elementary. Coach:  Marcelle Ross

Middle Division:  Individual

FIRST PLACE:  Natasha Bailey, Clayton Middle School. Coach:  Sylvia Mathis

SECOND PLACE:  Isabella James, West High School. Coach:  Sylvia Mathis

Presentation of Action Plan:  Junior

FIRST PLACE:  Team J107, Eastwood Elementary School. Coach:  Linda Stott

SECOND PLACE:  Team J101, Bonneville Elementary School. Coaches:  Elaine Jarvik & Abby Mietchen

THIRD PLACE:  Team J103, Wasatch Elementary School. Coach:  Caralyn Bingham

FOURTH PLACE:  Team J105, Eastwood Elementary School. Coach:  Jennifer Flitton

FIFTH PLACE:  Team J102, Wasatch Elementary School. Coach:  Caralyn Bingham

Presentation of Action Plan:  Middle

FIRST PLACE:  Team M201, West High School. Coach:  Sylvia Mathis

SECOND PLACE:  Team M202, Wasatch Jr. High School. Coaches:  Melanie Zucker & Liz Richey

THIRD PLACE:  Team M205, Hillside Middle School. Coach:  Janet Jamison

Community Problem Solving:  Junior

FIRST PLACE:  Morningside Elementary School. Coach:  Patti White

Novice Community Problem Solving:  Junior

Box Elder School District. Coach:  Joy Brower

Butler Elementary School. Coach:  Halley Tucker

Scenarios:

FIRST PLACE, JUNIOR DIVISION:  Michael Tao, Morningside Elementary School. Coach:  Patti White

FIRST PLACE, MIDDLE DIVISION:  Sophia Martinez, Wasatch Jr. High School. Coach:  Jane Abe

The Utah State Future Problem Solving Bowl will take place at Westminster College on Saturday, April 9, 2011.

Congratulations to all students and coaches who qualified to compete! Here are some documents to help you get ready: schedule of events, a Westminster campus map, and skit presentation guidelines. Please fill out the appropriate forms for you and your students by clicking on the links below:

• Team Registration Form
• Individual Registration Form
• Hall Monitors
• Reception & Awards Ceremony Tickets
• CmPS Registration Form
• Scenario Registration Form

Evaluators, please sign up by filling out this form:

• Evaluator Registration

It’s going to be a great day of problem solving! If you have any questions, contact charlotte.howe@utahfps.org.

Water Quality

Over the years we have made great strides in maximizing water quality. We have also developed innovative ways to clean up messes made in our streams, lakes, oceans. Filters have been devised and chemicals have been discovered that will neutralize many dangerous chemicals. While these solutions have dealt with industrial and household wastes, a new challenge has come in the back door. We are now finding drugs like Prozac, Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine, just to name a few, seeping into our water systems. Drugs pass through our people’s bodies and enter the sewer systems every day. In many places, the water that is “cleaned” is water that is sent back to the drinking water sources. While many other pollutants have been filtered or neutralized, these systems do not filter or neutralize the many legal and illegal drugs that are being consumed today. We are finding these drugs in the bodies of humans and animals in the wild that have never had personal access to the drugs. Is finding new ways to filter or neutralize the water the answer or must we once again find ways to minimize the causes?

Congratulations to our teams and individuals who qualified to compete at State! The competition was keen this year, and the Qualifying Problem future scene was a very difficult one. To teams that qualify, good work. We hope you’ll keep working on your future problem solving skills, and join us again in 2011-12!

To our faithful and hardworking evaluators, thanks for tackling the Qualifying Problem, and we’ll look forward to seeing you at State!

The following teams have qualified to compete in the Global Issues competition at the Utah Future Problem Solving Bowl at Westminster College on Saturday, April 9, 2011:

J101 & J102 from Wasatch Elementary. Coach:  Caralyn Bingham

J103 & J104 from Eastwood Elementary. Coach:  Jennifer Flitton

J108 from Eastwood Elementary. Coach: Linda Stott

J110 from Highland Park Elementary. Coach: Pam Krieps

J111, J112, J114, J115 & J116 from Cottonwood Elementary. Coach: Marcelle Ross

J117 & J118 from Fox Hills Elementary. Coach: Tamera Wright

J120 from Beacon Heights Elementary. Coach: Jane Abe

J122 from Hawthorne Elementary. Coach: Sheri Sohm

J124 from Bonneville Elementary. Coach: Elaine Jarvik

J128 & J129 from Morningside Elementary. Coach: Lynda Davis

J130 from Burton Elementary. Coach: Kathy Sandburg

M201 from West High. Coaches: Sylvia Mathis & Shannon Wilson

M202, M203 & M204 from Hillside Middle. Coaches: Janet Jamison & Jane Abe

M205 from Wasatch Jr. High. Coaches: Liz Richey & Melanie Zucker

We also have a strong group of individuals, Community Problem Solving teams, and scenario writers who will be going on in the competition. More information about them coming up soon!

Thanks, coaches and students, for your good work on the Qualifying Problem. Now it is the evaluators’ turn to take a close look at your booklets and decide who will get an invitation to the State competition that takes place at Westminster College on Saturday, April 9, 2011. Evaluations should be completed by the beginning of the second week in March. Coaches, you will receive scoresheets from two different evaluators this round, as well as notification about whether you’ve qualified for State. Good luck to all of you!

Coaches,

I hope you’re doing lots of research on Genetic Testing with your students. Here are a few helpful links:

Genetic Testing Doesn\’t Spook Patients, Study Finds

Texas Survey Find Doctors Favor Costly Genetic Tests

You should have received your Qualifying Problem Future Scene and related materials so you can complete your competitive booklets and get them submitted. Please remember that your booklets  must be either dropped off to me or postmarked by February 8, 2011.

GOOD LUCK with the Qualifying Problem! Let me know if you have any questions, okay?

Charlotte

charlotte.howe@utahfps.org

Coaches,

You should have received your evaluations and comments for Practice Problem 2 now. Good work by your teams! And now, onward to the Qualifying Problem:  Genetic Testing. Qualifying Problem booklets will be due on Tuesday, February 8, 2011. Here’s the topic summary to get you going:

Genetic Testing

Scientists are currently looking into the genetic testing of humans so that we will know if we are genetically prone to obesity, smoking, violence, etc. How will people respond to the availability of such tests? How much will be shared with insurance companies and law enforcement agencies? Examples: If health insurance companies know that you will become obese and need treatment for obesity related diseases, they may charge you more or cancel your coverage. If you are genetically prone to violence, you may be monitored by law enforcement agencies. In what other ways can this information be used? What are the benefits and drawbacks to genetic testing? Will some governments, employers, or insurance companies require it? Will genetic testing become the “Big Brother” of the future?

Dear Coaches:

Happy New Year! You will receive your teams’ PP2 evaluations and comments by Friday, January 7. Please let me know if you have any questions by emailing me at charlotte.howe@utahfps.org.

Thanks,

Charlotte

Thanks, Coaches, for getting your Practice Problem 2 booklets turned in on time. Now it’s the evaluators’ turn. Evaluators, we’ll meet at Morningside Elementary on Saturday, December 11, 9am-2pm to start evaluating Practice Problem 2. If you have any questions, please contact Joan Giroux-Bramble @ jbramble@graniteschools.org.

As you study the topic of “Air Transport,” you might want to read this NY Times article about the current controversy over new airport security procedures:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/business/19security.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&src=ig