Awards & Prizes
Top Prizes:
- The top prize at the Finals is $7,500 for the organization’s STEM program plus a trip to U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama for up to five team members (3 Team Members, 1 Educator and 1 Mentor) awarded by Bentley Systems.
- Second place is awarded a $5,000 prize for the organization’s STEM program, provided by Shell.
- Third prize is $2,000 for the organization’s STEM program, provided by Bechtel Corporation.
- The 4th and 5th place teams each receive $750 for their organization’s STEM program, provided by NCEES.
Special Awards:
Award Name Winner Sponsor Criteria
People's Choice Award Life on Land Pui Ching Middle School, China (Macau) DiscoverE This award is given to the team that is voted by the general public to have the best model.
Most Sustainable Food Production System A2-Sydney Warwick Middle School, Pennsylvania (Central) American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Design that provides the best sustainable food production system while conserving soil, water and energy.
Best Visualization of a Smart, Sustainable City Electree City Tsinglan School, Guandong North American Society of Civil Engineers Smart and sustainable cities incorporate new technologies and materials in novel ways to accommodate growing populations equitably and sustainably. Designs should highlight how new technologies will change the way cities look, feel, and function.
Nature-Powered Solutions for Design and Equity Nova Potentia Glen Hills Middle School, Wisconsin American Society of Landscape Architects This award recognizes the power of nature, the power of design, and the thoughtful work of landscape architecture. Recipients will show how landscape architects apply design thinking to harness the power of natural resources to solve complex sustainable development challenges. Use your creativity to apply nature-based solutions to address real-world problems such as climate change, air and water pollution, and threats to biodiversity while using fewer resources.
#AQOLFA Award: Advancing Quality of Life for All Acacia Ridge Justice Page Middle School, Minnesota APWA Design that best demonstrates advancing quality of life for all. Public works is advancing the quality of life for all every day through public services that: improve mobility, provide clean water, reduce the use of natural resources, provide public places for people to come together, and provide a safer place to live, work, and play.
Best Futuristic City VoltaVista Mount Aviat Academy, Mid-Atlantic ASME Use of futuristic engineering concepts into city's communications, energy, or transportation systems
Best Management of Water Resources Derna Annoor Academy of Knoxville, Tennessee Bentley Systems, Inc. Efficient design of water treatment and distribution for human consumption, agriculture, industry, recreation, and fire protection. Responsible sewage collection and treatment for environmental protection and community aesthetics. Innovative stormwater collection, treatment, reuse and/or discharge back into the environment.
Best Residential Zone Electros of Victoria Transit Middle School, New York (Western) Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA Strategic placement of residential zones that allow maximum return for quality of life issues.
The City of the Future that Best Incorporates Cultural and Historical Resources Man Gloria Bronx Latin School, New York (City) Cuban-American Association of Civil Engineers, Inc. The city whose design best incorporates historical & cultural sites, buildings, infrastructure, and customs.
Outstanding City Model NeoOrleans Joseph K Lumsden Bahweting Anishnabe Academy, Michigan DiscoverE This award is given to the team with the overall highest score as judged during the National Preliminary Judging of the Model.
Outstanding City Essay Fursa Al-hadi School Of Accelerative Learning, Texas (Houston) DiscoverE This award is given to the team with the overall highest City Essay score as judged by the Finals Judges.
Most Advanced Smart Grid Istanova Mesa Accelerated and Gifted Academy, Arizona IEEE-USA Best incorporation of Smart Grid technologies for the safe, efficient, and reliable delivery of electricity throughout the city. A Smart Grid is the modernization of the electric power system by applying advanced software tools, computer controls, automation and two-way communications. Benefits include improved reliability, lower energy bills, more energy choices (including renewables such as wind, hydro, and solar), and fewer and shorter power outages.
Best Transportation System for the Community Mawiana Lionville Middle School, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) Institute of Transportation Engineers Design that thoughtfully integrates safe and equitable ways to move people around their communities. Considers multiple modes of sustainable transportation (with strong connections between different modes), prioritizes citizens’ health and safety, and creates equitable access across the city. Uses advanced and futuristic technology in ways that support these overarching goals.
Best Land Surveying Practices Fursa Al-hadi School Of Accelerative Learning, Texas (Houston) NCEES The design that employs the best land surveying practices, taking into consideration the high standards used by surveyors to help protect the public's safety and welfare.
Mission Possible: Positively Impacting the Community Civerenity Academy For Science Foreign Language Middle School, Alabama National Society of Black Engineers This award is given to the team whose Future City design promotes the best overall quality of life and demonstrates the greatest potential to positively impact the community for a sustainable future.
Professional Engineering Award Green Gladiators Stella Schola, Washington (Seattle) National Society of Professional Engineers In planning, designing, building, and maintaining your city, please explain and give examples of steps you will undertake to: Ensure your city’s engineers are competent professionals; Comply with engineering safety codes and technical standards; and Reject behavior that misleads or deceives the public.
Outstanding Future City Project Plan Karachi Pakistan Lawrence Southwest Middle School, Great Plains Project Management Institute Educational Foundation Teams should be able to explain how they followed the project cycle when designing their Future City. They should be able to clearly communicate their activities in each stage of the project cycle, including how they created their project schedule, assigned responsibilities, and monitored and controlled their work. Finally, teams should be able to explain what they learned during their project by answering the kinds of questions that they ask themselves during their team reflection. Samples of work that highlight teams’ project management activities are encouraged.
Most Innovation Use of Ceramic or Glass Gradus Unum Colorado Academy, Colorado The American Ceramic Society/Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation Design that best demonstrates how ceramic and glass is being used to create novel technological solutions that help solve sustainability issues, such as combating pollution, improving clean energy, reducing material waste, and applying environmental engineering principles.
Excellence in Resilience Engineering New Tallinn Fulton Science Academy Private School, Georgia UL Demonstration of excellence in the city design of resilient systems that withstand and quickly adapt to adverse circumstances and events like natural disasters.
Take C.H.A.R.G.E. of Battery Safety Award Namburi JerseySTEM, New Jersey UL Best demonstration of safety-based design in utilizing lithium-ion battery technology and other alternative energy sources to power a future city.
Best Use of Nuclear Science Istanova Mesa Accelerated and Gifted Academy, Arizona American Nuclear Society Must leverage nuclear science and/or technology in a
safe, environmentally conscious.
AFCOM Data Center Best Design Kota Murni Hyde Park Middle School, Nevada AFCOM Place a data center in a location that allows for room to grow, and blends into the neighborhood while including high-security fencing.