Members of Future Problem Solvers have been spending time after school preparing for the upcoming competitions in February.

“In the meetings the students receive a future scene, they then analyze and come up with a creative but functional way to solve it [the problem],” club sponsor Heather Deel said.

Members are receiving extra insight on various steps in the process for competitions.

“We have a representative from FPS international coming today to help the students with steps two and six,” Deel said. “Next week an FPS Florida evaluator, Bob Mclaren, will be joining the students to help them with the judging process.”

West Shore will have four teams and one soloist; three junior teams [grades 7-9] and one senior team [grades 10-12] entering the competition.

“I have equally high expectations for all of the teams, but if I was to choose one it would be the senior team because they have the most training and some of them have been doing this since elementary school,” Deel said. 

Spots for the teams are closing up quickly.

“Main scenario writing teams have been filled up,” Deel said. “I can’t take anymore teams.” 

Freshman Austin Howard said he’s anxious to compete.

“I’m just ready for the competitions to start, but we need to continue to practice and train before then if we want to make it to states,” he said. 

Those interested in joining FPS should visit Deel in Room 3-201.

By Hali McCulloch