Volunteers are a driving force for the Future Problem Solving Program!
Below are some of the ways you can volunteer all year long for Utah Future Problem Solvers:
Coach
It is not necessary to be a teacher to coach Future Problem Solving. Teachers, retired teachers, parents, and community volunteers are all welcome to participate. As a coach, it is your job to motivate and train students to use the six-step problem solving process. By training students in the program, you are encouraging students to think about the future. You are also providing them with a set of tools that they will be able to apply to life’s many challenges. Contact your Affiliate for more information.
Monitor
Volunteers are needed to monitor students during Global Issues Problem Solving (formerly team booklet) competition and skits. The monitor, during GIPS, is there to ensure student integrity during the competition. They are also there to answer general questions for the students. Contact your district representative for more information.
Skit (Presentation of Action Plan) Judge
After competing in the GIPS competition, students present their action plan in a skit. This portion of the Global Issues Problem Solving team competition provides students the opportunity to bring their futuristic ideas to life. Students create their skit using an assigned list of props. They are judged on creativity, completeness, and communication of ideas. Volunteers are needed to serve on the panel of judges. Contact your district representative for more information.
International Conference Volunteer
Every year, FPSPI champions come together for the International Conference. It takes the assistance from countless volunteers to make the conference a success. Volunteers provide their own transportation to IC and FPSPI provides room/board. Contact FPSPI for more information on helping out at this year’s International Conference.
Writing Opportunities
A critical component of Global Issues Problem Solving is the Future Scene. Authors are chosen and placed into trios. Once groups are formed, members interact, bouncing ideas back and forth until they come up with their Future Scene story line. It is up to the writing team to come up with a creative and futuristic problem for students to solve using the problem solving process. Contact FPSPI for more information on becoming a member of a future scene writing team.
Evaluator Opportunities
All evaluators must certify in the components they wish to evaluate. After successfully evaluating for your Affiliate Program level, you may be nominated to certify as an International Evaluator with an opportunity to evaluate at IC.
Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS) Evaluator
In GIPS, participants apply the six-step process to generate challenges and propose solution ideas related to the Future Scene. Using guidelines provided by the international office, evaluators score participant booklets. Participants look forward to the feedback received from evaluators because it provides them the opportunity to improve their problem solving skills in hopes of reaching the next level in competition. Contact your local Affiliate Program for more information on becoming a GIPS evaluator.
Community Problem Solving (CmPS) Evaluator
The Community Problem Solving component allows students to apply the problem solving process to their community. Evaluators for this component evaluate teams in multiple stages. The first stage of evaluation is based on a six-page report (written in a style similar to GIPS) and a six-page addendum (photos and other illustrations of student work). The next stage occurs at competition where students provide a scrapbook and a display, providing further evidence of their projects success, and are interviewed by their evaluators. Evaluators work in pairs throughout the evaluation. Contact FPSPI or your Affiliate Program for more information on becoming a CmPS evaluator.
Scenario Writing (SW) Evaluator
In the scenario writing competition, students write a creative short story relating to one of the five topics. This competition allows students the opportunity to bring the futuristic ideas they create in booklet competition to life in their own, creative way. As an evaluator, you are asked to consider aspects ranging from style and mechanics to creativity. Contact FPSPI or your Affiliate Program for more information on becoming a scenario evaluator.
Scenario Performance (ScP) Evaluator
In the Scenario Performance competition, each student performs a live story relating to the International Conference topic. This competition allows students the opportunity to bring the futuristic ideas they create to an oral story for a live audience.
Our success relies on volunteers and our appreciation is endless!
To learn more about how you can volunteer and get involved with Utah Future Problem Solvers.
Please call us at 385-646-2086 or email us at csjustesen@graniteschools.org for more information.