Quinn Anderson and Maddy Nelson for The Wa-Hi Journal
Published: March 5, 2012

Six Future Problem Solving (FPS) teams, two in the intermediate division and four in the senior division, qualified for the State competition in Stanwood, Wash., on April 12-13. The team members are as follows:

Intermediate Division:

Freshmen Kaelie Coleman, Maggie Buob, Hannah Mitchell, Emily Leinweber, Madyson Gabriel, Emily Pryor, Jennifer Cho and Reilly Beckstrand.

Senior Division:

Senior Mac Clifton, Senior Aaron Gogl, Junior Scott Bettencourt, Junior Travis Stinebaugh, Junior Teagan Coleman, Junior Julia Cosma, Junior Robert Miller, Junior Anna Burgess, Sophomore Andrew Bateman, Sophomore Connor Buckley, Sophomore Erik Dohe, Sophomore Zachary Chlipala, Sophomore Lea Davidson, Sophomore Danny Butler, Sophomore Catherine Feistner and Sophomore Jacob Leinweber.

The teams have the option to write two practice packets before writing the state qualifying packet at the competition. The packets each contain a single futuristic problem that the team must create solutions as well as an action plan. Only the state qualifying packet is evaluated.

"At first when you start out [writing the packet], it is really calm and everything flows out," Dohe said. "Then you get to the end, and you realize there are only 30 minutes left, and you turn into this angry person who just wants to get it done as soon as possible because you know your deadline is near."

Two scenario writers, junior Julia Cosma and freshman Jennifer Cho, qualified for the International competition at Indiana University on June 7-10.

Cosma wrote about trade barriers in her 1500 word scenario entitled "Where do Ideas Grow?"

"The idea of trade itself is very futuristic and that is one of the criteria of FPS scenarios," Cosma said.

Cho wrote about coral reefs in her 1498 word essay, "Gone."

"I wrote this on one of the topics of FPS. I thought it was a hard topic so many people wouldn't write about it and then it would be something different that the judges hadn't seen yet," Cho said.

According to the Washington state FPS website, "Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI) provides tools and strategies for students needing to face the challenges of today and the future."

FPS member, sophomore Danny Butler agrees that the club has provided him with this experience. "During my seventh grade year in FPS, one of the topics was neurotechnology and that's when I realized it's what I want to do when I grow up," Butler said.

Garrison teacher John Buissink has coached FPS for 28 years.