Future Problem Solvers advance to State Bowl

• 12th Grade Team: Anna Englemann, Sydney Waldron, Jamie Barrett, and Frankie Dubreil
• 11th Grade Team: Sofia Alfredson Themudo, Anoushka Barve, Sara Gillespie and Kaia Petrick
• 8th Grade Team: Seth Pedretti, Owen Maher, Will Kreizenbeck and Nick Heitman

This is not the first time that these teams have qualified for the state competition. In fact, this marks the fourth year in row for the 11th grade team, third year in a row for the 12th grade team, and the second time for the eighth-grade team from Fort Couch Middle School.

To advance, teams had to place within the top seven in the Middle Division and the top six in the Senior Division against other schools from throughout Pennsylvania on the qualifying problem of Agricultural Industry.  

Future Problem Solving is a research-based program introduced by Dr. E. Paul Torrance that consists of a six-step process through which students address complex issues and develop solutions. The program teaches problem-solving strategies, collaboration, critical and creative thinking, decision-making skills, and effective communication.

The teams are led by gift education teachers Jason O’Roark and Casey Teagarden, from Fort Couch Middle School and Upper St. Clair High School respectively.

“First, they brainstorm all of the different challenges within the situation while attempting to look at the problem from many different perspectives. Then decide which challenge or group of challenges is the most serious and develop their underlying problem,” Mr. O’Roark said. “From there, they brainstorm solutions and develop criteria to evaluate those solutions. They rank their solutions based on each criteria and add up the scores to determine the best solution. Finally, they write up an action plan that describes the details of the solution and all of the consequences of its implementation.”