Dalton’s Future Problem Solvers Take Top Awards at the New York State Bowl
The Dalton Future Problem Solvers work very hard during rigorous written bowls in which they apply their critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
Dalton’s High School competitors earned some very exciting outcomes based on their Global Issues Problem Solving action plans on the topic of Autonomous Transportation during the New York State Bowl. A huge thanks to seniors Cooper Hartog, Toma Pojarliev, and Anya Levin, who were this year’s student leaders of the club, and also to Mirabelle Zhang ‘24 for being such a thoughtful participant in FPS throughout her time at Dalton. We are extremely proud of all the incredible work completed by each of the Future Problem Solvers club members this year.
All students who participated in the club applied the six-step problem-solving method to a future scenario, navigating challenges related to Autonomous Transportation. They then wrote an action plan to address the issues relevant to their specific scenario. Their written work was evaluated and scored by external judges after they competed in the state bowl.
Future Problem Solvers follow a six-step approach to problem-solving:
Identify Challenges Related to the Topic or Future Scene
Select an Underlying Problem
Produce Solution Ideas to Address the Underlying Problem
Generate and Select Criteria to Evaluate Solution Ideas
Evaluate Solution Ideas to Determine the Better Action Plan
Develop an Action Plan
Qualifying individuals and teams that accept the judge’s invitation to the FPS International Conference in Bloomington, Indiana in June will tackle understanding and developing innovative solutions for this year’s topic: Air Quality.
Here are the results of the FPS NY State Awards for the 2023-2024 school year:
Middle Division- Global Issues Problem Solvers (Teams)
First Place Team Members: Spencer Chaisanguanthum ‘27, Becca Chung ‘27, Jonathan Nallengara ‘27, and Mia Pojarlieva ‘27
Senior Division- Global Issues Problem Solvers (Individual Competitors)
First Place: Cooper Hartog ‘24
Senior Division- Global Issues Problem Solvers (Teams)
First Place Team Members: Mira Gulati ‘26 and Louisa Huston ‘26
Third Place Team Members: Lisa Cruz ‘25, Oliver Katz ‘26, Anya Levin ‘24, and Toma Pojarliev ‘24
A huge congratulations to all of the FPS club participants for their dedication and hard work throughout the year!
Story submitted by FPS club advisor and Dalton Middle/High School Science Teacher Alicia Reid