Blythewood Middle School takes first place in Future City Competition

BMS Future City Team, (l–r) Nicole Schuldes, chaperone; Steven Heath; Valerie Miller; Patrick Reid; and Steven King, Blythewood leader and engineer mentor. Jessica Fox, seventh grade science teacher, and Nicole Schuldes took a group of four Blythewood Middle School students to Aiken to the Future City Competition, Saturday, January 23.

Last year BMS placed third in the region. This year Blythewood Middle School took first place. BMS will be going to Washington, D.C., on an all expenses paid trip to the National Competition February 13–17 to represent the entire region.

The students were required to present in front of an audience and answer tough questions from a panel of esteemed experts in science and engineering.

In addition to the first place award, the team also received two awards in Special Categories: Best Use of Innovative Construction Materials & Techniques and Best Essay.

For their hard work, the team has received an all expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., backpacks/ luggage for the trip, $40 in Target gift certificates, and $1,000 scholarships to USC Aiken.

Representing BMS at the competition were Steven Heath (seventh grade), Valerie Miller (seventh grade), Patrick Reid (eighth grade), and Myles Gordon, alternate (eighth grade).

There were other students who participated but due to competition regulations

were not able to participate in the actual competition. Logan Struthers (eighth grade), Logan Skrabak (eighth grade), Brandon Reeder (seventh grade), and Elijah Swetnam (eighth grade).

Steven King was the BMS leader and engineer mentor.