FPS Components

Within the Futures Problem Solving (FPS) program, students can participate in three distinct categories: Global Issues Problem Solving, Community Problem Solving or Scenario Writing.

Global Issues Problem Solving
Under the guidance of a teacher/coach, students use the FPS Six Step Model to explore challenges and propose action plans to complex societal problems. Some of the past topics they have studied include Charity giving, Cultural Prejudice, Caring for our Elders, and Privacy. Most students compete in three to four person teams, while some students choose to compete as individuals.

Students complete two practice problems and one qualifying problem throughout the school year. Trained evaluators score student work and return it with feedback including suggestions for improvement. The top scoring teams and individuals on the qualifying problem are invited to the State Bowl Competition held each April at a host school in California. The top two winners in each division then go on to compete at the International Bowl in June.

Competitors are divided into three divisions: Junior (grades 4-6), Middle (grades 7-9), and Senior (grades 10-12).

Community Problem Solving (CmPS)

Teams apply their FPS skills to real problems in their community. A community problem is a problem that exists within the school, local community, region, state or nation. Implementation of the student's action plan is included in this component. Teams move from hypothetical issues to real world, authentic concerns. Teams may include any number of students and are divided into three divisions based on grade level. The top Community Problem Solving Team projects are invited to the FPSP International Conference in June.

Scenario Writing

The scenario writing competition gives students the opportunity to explore the future on an individual basis. Students research one of the five competitive program topics and prepare a short story of 1,500 words or less that is set a minimum of 20 years in the future. Scenarios must be related to one of the future problem solving topics but writers do not need to be members of a problem solving team. The first place winner in each division is submitted to FPSP International to be evaluated in the International Scenario Writing Competition.