Three North Haven Middle School and one North Haven High School Future Problem Solving students were named as finalists in the Connecticut Future Problem Solving Program.

Senior Division
3rd -- Haya Awwad -- "Inheritance" -- North Haven High School, coached by Daniel O'Brien

Junior Division1st -- Claire Fresher -- "Together and Apart" -- North Haven MIddle School, coached by Christian Gott
2nd -- Maia Annunziato -- "The Hijacking of Susairial 7249" -- North Haven Middle School, coached by Pam Kendrick
3rd -- Grace Gillolly -- "Asthma Victims Strike Back" -- North Haven Middle School, coached by Christian Gott

These students received their awards at the closing ceremonies for the CT FPS State Conference on March 26 at E.O. Smith High School in Storrs.

First Place scenario writers are invited to attend the International FPS Conference to be held at the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse in June.  The top tree scenarios in each division are sent to the International FPS office for inclusion in their competition.

Encouraging creativity, scenario writing allows an individual writer to create a futuristic short story based on one of the five FPSP topics. Students develop and polish their creative writing skills. FPSP scenarios are limited to 1500 words and must be placed 20 years in the future.

The Future Problem Solving Program is a yearlong educational program in which students are challenged to solve problems related to topics of global significance.  This year's topics are Healthy Living, Air Transport, Genetic Testing, Water Quality, and Emergency Planning.  Approximately 250,000 students from all over the world are involved in this challenging and demanding program.  Students are given a futuristic scenario from which they determine potential problems, choose a problem to solve, brainstorm solutions, evaluate their solutions and develop an action plan to fully explain their best solution.

On On March 25 and 26 at the 28^th annual Future Problem Solving Program of Connecticut State Conference was held at E.O. Smith High School in Storrs CT.  For the 28^th consecutive year North Haven students earned the right to compete at the conference.  The best problem solvers from across Connecticut were chosen to compete based on their performance in the qualifying round.  North Haven was represented in all three divisions (Junior, Middle, and Senior), and in the Global Team Problem Solving, Individual Problem Solving, Scenario Writing and Zippy Booklet Competitions.  The topic the students addressed was Water Quality.  Schools throughout Connecticut participated in the competition and activities. In all, over 300 people attended. Students were competing for the right to represent Connecticut at the Future Problem Solving Program International Conference, which will be held at The University of Wisconsin in La Crosse, from June 8^th through June 12^th.  Over 2,300 students from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea will be attending the conference.  North Haven students and their families will open their homes and host visiting Australian and Singaporean FPS students for 2-3 days prior to the International Conference.

The following North Haven teams and students have qualified to represent CT at this year’s Future Problem Solving International Conference.  This is the 25^th consecutive year that North Haven has earned the right to represent CT at the FPS International Conference

Senior Division Global Issues Team Competition Champions and Third Place for Action Plan Presentation– Juniors Prakhar Bansal, Gregory Bicknell, Christopher Musco and David Pham – coach Tom Marak

Second Place Senior Division Global Issues Team Competition – Seniors Timothy Barron, Luke Chvisuk, Bradley Koval, E. Lily Seropian – coach Tom Marak

Middle Division Global Issues Team Competition Champions  – Freshmen Matt Ennis, Jesse Morrow, Amanda Royka and Meredith Whitcomb – coach Tom Marak

Second Place Middle Division Global Issues Team Competition and Action Plan Presentation – Freshmen Julia Bujalski, Allie Carroll, Nichole Ciccarelli and Brynne MacDonnell– coach Tom Marak

Individual Global Issues Competition Senior Division Champion – Junior Victor Wang – coach Tom Marak

Individual Global Issues Competition Junior Division Champion – 6^th Grader Hillary Hoyt – coach Paul Castiglione

Junior Division Scenario Writing Champion – 5^th grader Claire Fresher – whose story was "Together and Apart" -- coach Christian Gott

Costs for this year’s International Competition (including transportation, rooms and food) are expected to be $1,100 per student.  Students and the C.L.A.P.S. parent support group have been raising money to fund the trip.  If you would like to help, please send your contributions to C.L.A.P.S. c/o Tom Marak at North Haven High School 221 Elm Street North Haven CT 06473.  Make checks payable to NHHS-C.L.A.P.S.

The Future Problem Solving Program is a yearlong educational program challenging students to solve problems related to topics of global significance.  This year's other topics were Healthy Living, Air Transportation, and Genetic Testing.  This year’s international conference will focus on the very timely topic of Emergency Planning. Global Issues students are given a futuristic scenario from which they determine potential challenges, choose a problem/issue to solve, brainstorm solutions, evaluate their solutions and develop an action plan to fully explain their best solution. The FPS of CT Program also has Scenario Writing, Community Problem Solving, and Art components.   The Scenario Writing Competition allows an individual writer to create a futuristic short story based on one of the topics. Community Problem Solving teaches students how to solve local problems and the Art component encourages students to use their artistic talents to express the issues related to one of the year’s topics. Approximately 250,000 students from all over the world are involved in the various components of this challenging and demanding program.

Other North Haven students placing at the state competition were:

3^rd Place Senior Global Issues Team Competition – Juniors Haya Awwad, Molly Falkowski, Dushalla Suruj-Narain and Sophomore Alyssa Wilczynski – coach Tom Marak

3^rd Place Junior Global Issues Team Competition – 6^th graders Maiia Annunziato, Sejal Atluru, Olivia Irons and Genevieve Richardson – coach Paul Castiglione

2^nd Place Senior Global Issues Individual – Senior Charlie Hoyt – coach Tom Marak

3^rd Place Senior Global Issues Individual – Junior Parker Heyl – coach Tom Marak

2^nd Place Middle Global Issues Individual – Sophomore Jesse Morrow – coach Tom Marak

3^rd Place Middle Global Issues Individual – Sophomore Bryne MacDonnell – coach Tom Marak

2^nd Place Junior Global Issues Individual – grade 6 Olivia Hoyt – coach Paul Castiglione

3^rd Place Senior Scenario – Junior Haya Awaad for her story “Inheritance"- coach Dan O’Brien

2nd Place Junior Scenario - Maia Annunziato -- for "The Hijacking of Susairial 7249" - coach Pam Kendrick
3rd Place Junior Scenario - Grace Gillolly – or "Asthma Victims Strike Back" - coach Christian Gott

1^st Place Senior Zippy Team Competition – Sophomores Julie Cheung and Amelia Hoyt

Conference T-Shirt Design Competition – Senior Jake Biller, Juniors Jennifer Royka and Evelyn Fisher

For more information about the conference, students and/or the FPS Program please contact Tom Marak at North Haven High School (203) 239-1641 ext. 2226 marak.thomas@north-haven.k12.ct.us or the Future Problem Solving Program of CT. Inc. (860) 632-2843, e-mail FPSPofCT@aol.com or visit the FPS web site www.FPSPofCT.org.

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