Welcome to the Future City Ohio Region!
Ohio 6th, 7th, and 8th graders have imagined, designed, and engineered the future! Future City provides an authentic STEM experience for middle school students around the country.
Registration closes on October 31, 2025.
Ohio Region Competition is on January 10, 2026.
National Competition is on February 2026.
2025-26 Future City Theme
2025-26 Future City Theme: Farm to Table
Design a city that eliminates food waste from farm to table and keeps your citizens health and safe.
Mentors Needed!
Engineers, city planners, and other professionals with technical backgrounds are invited to volunteer as a mentor for the Ohio Future City Competition (FCC).
Future City mentors volunteer from September to January. Mentors provide advice, guidance, and technical assistance as the students work on the various project components.
You’ll meet with the team to get to know the students and focus them on the big picture: good urban design, an overview of the essay topic, and brainstorming possible solutions.
You’ll help with the model, teaching the students about scale, and working on the presentation.
Making yourself available by email to review things like the essay and ideas of futuristic components is helpful too. A teacher is also present when you meet with students.
Interested in mentoring? We’ll help you connect with a school near your home or work. Contact Matt Marquis at ohio@futurecity.org
Judges Needed!
Engineers, architects, city planners, and other professionals with technical backgrounds! We need you!
Engineers created this competition to offer a one of kind STEM experience for middle schoolers. It’s success is dependent upon engineers, city planners, and architects providing guidance to these young minds.
Serving as a judge is rewarding!
Judges should have a technical background sufficient to understand and evaluate the student’s work. Members of the STEM community are welcome and encouraged to volunteer! Future City provides assessment rubrics and training.
Judging Opportunities:
There are 2 different judging opportunities:
Essay Judge (Virtual)
Volunteers read research essays written by the students on the “Electrify Your Future” theme. A rubric and scoresheet will be provided. Scores are submitted electronically. Time commitment is approximately 3 hours. Essays are available to be judged starting in mid-December. Scores are due in early January.
City Model/Presentation Judge (In person)
Volunteers come to the Ohio Regional Finals on 1/10/25. The location is TBD. Judges listen to 4 different student teams give a 7-minute presentation, then ask the students follow-up questions about their city model. Judges are in teams of 3 or 5. A rubric and scoresheet are provided. Breakfast and lunch are provided to judges, as well. It’s fun and rewarding.
Register to be a judge here (choose “Ohio” as your state): Register here »
*Be sure to select “regional competition judge” and choose “Ohio” as your region.
Questions?
Contact Scott Lowry at sdlowry@hntb.com.
Sponsors
Thank you to all of our wonderful sponsors! Your continued support helps us achieve this wonderful program!
Program Sponsors:
Platinum –
Burgess & Niple
ODNR Div. of Water Resources
Gold –
Commonwealth Associates
Silver –
Strand Associates
Ohio University
Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education
The Mannik & Smith Group, Inc.
American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
Additional Sponsors –
Sustainability at Ohio State
Awards Sponsors:
American Institute of Architects (AIA) – Columbus Chapter
Rotary Worthington AM
Allied Mineral Products
NCEES
Verdantas
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) – Central Ohio Section
HNTB
Educational Foundation – Project Management Institute
American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE) – Central Ohio
The Andersons
Questions?
Contact Joe Bolzenius at joseph.bolzenius@hotmail.com.
Special Awards
Best Architectural Model – American Institute of Architects (AIA) – Columbus Chapter
Winner – STEAMM Academy at Hartford Middle School
Honorable Mention – Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, Troop 44556, Cincinnati
Best Moving Part – Worthington AM Rotary Club
Winner – Crestview Middle School, Ashland
Honorable Mention – Heritage Middle School, Westerville
Best use of Ceramics – Allied Mineral Associates
Winner – Genoa Middle School, Westerville
Honorable Mention – Batavia Middle School, Batavia
Best use of Recreation – Worthington AM Rotary Club
Winner – Indian Hill Middle School, Cincinnati
Honorable Mention – Horizon Science Academy, Dayton Downtown, Dayton
Best use of Recycled Materials – Verdantas
Winner – Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, Troop 44556, Cincinnati
Honorable Mention – Batavia Middle School, Batavia
Best use of Water Resources Engineering – ODNR, Division of Water Resources and American Society of Civil Engineers
Winner – Batavia Middle School, Batavia
Honorable Mention – Crestview Middle School, Westerville
Best use of Transportation – HNTB Corporation
Winner – Indian Hill Middle School, Cincinnati
Honorable Mention – Amity Elementary School, Cincinnati
Best Project Plan – PMI Educational Foundation
Winner – Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, Troop 44556, Cincinnati
Honorable Mention – Crestview Middle School, Westerville
Best Land Surveying Practices – National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
Winner – Heritage Middile School, Westerville
Honorable Mention – Ambrose School, Brunswick
Peoples Choice Award – The Andersons
Winner – Heritage Middle School, Westerville
Honorable Mention – Hartford Middle School, Canton
Rookie of the Year – American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE)
Joseph Montessori School, Columbus
Future City Board - Ohio Region
Holly Tucker, Ohio EPA – Regional Coordinator
Joe Bolzenius, PE, Mannik Smith Group – Chair
Alauddin Alauddin, PE, Ohio EPA
Matt Marquis, PE, ODNR
Scott Lowry, PE, HNTB
Lydia Ramlo, PE
Walker Clark, PE, City of Columbus
Jeffrey Zaye, CPA, Vance Outdoors Inc.