For over 15 years, NTH has proudly supported STEM education by participating as judges in the Michigan Regional Future City Competition. This inspiring program begins by challenging student teams to answer the question: How can we make the world a better place?To tackle this challenge, 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students work in teams with an educator and a volunteer STEM mentor to imagine, research, design, and build innovative cities of the future. Each year, their work focuses on a specific design challenge.
Participants complete four key deliverables: a 1,500-word city essay, a scale model constructed from recycled materials, a 15-minute presentation with a Q&A session for judges, and a comprehensive project plan. In January, teams present their projects at the Regional Competition, showcasing their creativity and critical thinking. These students consistently impress us with their knowledge, passion, and ingenuity. Programs like Future City are vital for cultivating the next generation of engineers and technical professionals through hands-on, project-based learning.
Last week, NTH team members evaluated the projects to select the recipient of the “Best Engineered Project” award. We are thrilled to recognize the “Isolaviva” project by the talented team from Scranton Middle School in Brighton, MI. Their exceptional work earned them not only our award but also a 5th place finish in the overall 2025 Michigan Future City Competition.
We also extend our congratulations to the overall winner of the 2025 Michigan Regional Future City Competition, the “Nouvassua Team” from Joseph K. Lumsden Bahweting Anishnabe Academy in Sault Ste. Marie. This outstanding team will represent Michigan in the national competition in Washington, D.C., during Engineers Week. We wish them the best of luck as they showcase their innovative ideas on a national stage!
A special thank-you goes out to our judges—Sarah Gamache, Lisa Dilg, April Boehm, Keira Houston, and Madison Pritchett—for dedicating their time and expertise to this incredible event. Your efforts help make Future City a success year after year!
