Welcome to Capital Region Future City Competition!
The competition comprises of teams of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who develop a futuristic city based on the theme of the year. Students will design a city based on the current year’s theme that keeps their citizens and the environment healthy and safe. These teams write an essay, create a model to scale, provide a project plan, and present to judges on their futuristic city at this event.
The amazing impact this event has on our local community, schools, and students is incomprehensible. This competition goes beyond just a one-day competition by teaching students how to apply math and science to real world problems.
Important Resources
Important Competition downloads:
2026-2027 Future City MS Handbook
2026-2027 FCC Albany Student Planner
2026-2027 FCC Albany Rules Handout
City Brainstorming and Team Management Resources:
Prevention, Protection and Recovery Brainstorming Exercise
Top 25 Fire Resilient Future Judge Questions
Misc Forms:
Program Details
Future City Competition is an educational program for middle school students to explore their creative and innovative imaginations to design a city of the future. Students will learn how to apply math, science, engineering and technology to develop a realistic future community and compete for regional prizes, including a trip to Washington, DC to compete in the National Competition.
The Team
Consists of 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who are interested in math, science and engineering. There is a limit to how many students may work on the project. This year we will be implementing a maximum cap of 20 students per team, with a minimum of three students per team. At the regional competition in January, only three students will represent their team and present their city for judging. If there are more than 20 students interested in being part of a team, consider creating multiple smaller sized teams. However, be aware that each registered school/organization is limited to sending a maximum of three teams to compete in the regional competition. Each team of students will work with their teacher and engineer mentor to complete all phases of the program while engineering their version of a “future city.”
Students will:
- Create a Project Plan, which mimics the engineering design process.
- Build a physical 3D model of their city using creative materials such as recycled goods.
- Demonstrate their writing skills through an essay that:
- answers the assigned engineering design problem,
- describes major features and highlights found in the team’s future city,
- Enhance communication skills though a team presentation.
The Teacher
An energetic coach to oversee activities. The teacher will participate as a facilitator and advisor to the team members.
The Engineer Mentor
The mentor serves as an advisor to the students. The mentor’s advice can be in the form of technical help as to how science and engineering can be applied to the city, how to build cities, and how to make technical presentations. The mentor will also be able to teach the students about what different types of engineers do and how the profession impacts society. The mentor does not need to be an engineer but someone who who works in the technical field and is willing to show students how to connect Science, Technology, Engineering and Math concepts to reality and futuristic designs.
Become a Volunteer
We’re always recruiting volunteers to work with the Capital District Region Future City Competition. There are various ways you can get involved as described below.
Engineer Mentors work with the student team each week to design and build their city of the future. Mentors are able to share their engineering and technology experience with the students and encourage their creativity in exploring futurist technology advances. Volunteer mentors spend approximately 2-3 hours with the students each week from September through mid-January, at a time determined by the teacher and engineer. Mentor Registration – Future City® Competition
Competition Judges evaluate the team entries for each phase of the program: Project Plan, Essay, 3-D Model, Presentation and Live Q&A. The judging process starts in November. Judges should plan to attend scheduled training sessions and invest approximately 6 hours in judging team entries prior to the competition.
We currently have the following needs for judges:
- 60 Presentation & Model Judges (Competition Day) – Judge Registration – Future City® Competition
- Special Award Judges (Competition Day) – email fcc.albany.judge@outlook.com
- 10 Finals Judges (Competition Day) – email fcc.albany.judge@outlook.com
- 2 National Judges (Virtual in Mid-February for Model, Presentation, and/or Essay) – email fcc.albany.judge@outlook.com
Competition Day Volunteers sign up for timeslots for the Competition Day in January/February. Volunteers are assigned activities and tasks for their timeslot prior. Each year, approximately 60 volunteers are recruited for Competition Day. Volunteer Sign Up
Committee Volunteers work throughout the year from to organize, plan and fundraise for the program. The committee works through monthly meetings and delegation of planning efforts. Our committee always welcomes new members and new talents. Committee Volunteer Sign Up
Future City Albany Alumni Scholarship
Scholarship for Future City Alums
The Howard E. Reese Alumni of the Year Scholarship is named after a beloved member of the Future City-Albany program. Howard was actively involved with Future City since its regional beginnings in 2000, and he remained actively involved in planning the logistics of competition day for the next 20 years. Howard was an engineer himself, working as a civil engineer for the New York State Thruway Authority for nearly 38 years, retiring in 2007. We have named our scholarship for Howard to honor his longtime support of the program and his dedication to inspiring middle school children in dreaming up brighter futures.
NOTE TO APPLICANT:
The Future City Competition-Albany, NY Alumnus of the Year Scholarship is available to all graduating high school seniors and current undergraduate college students and has a total value of $1,000.
To be eligible for the Alumnus of the Year Scholarship you must be an alumnus of the Future City Competition-Albany, NY program and plan to attend/currently enrolled in an accredited science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) program.
To qualify for this scholarship, you must show how your involvement in the Future City Competition encouraged you to pursue an education and career in science, technology, engineering, or math.
HOW TO APPLY:
- Assemble the application in the following order.
- Student Scholarship Application Form (please type responses, if possible)
- Personal Statement (maximum 500 words)
- Teacher/Mentor Recommendation Statement (maximum 250 words)
- One copy of High School Transcript and one copy of current College Transcript (if applicable)
The application shall be emailed no later than Monday, November 30, 2026.
E-mail the above items to:
Addyson Lyons, Regional Coordinator, Future City Competition-Albany, NY: fcc.albany@gmail.com
Applications will be reviewed by the committee and an award recipient will be notified by Thursday, December 17, 2026. Committee decisions are final.
The 2025-2026 Alumni of the Year Award will be presented at the Capital District Future City Awards Ceremony on January 23, 2027. Although desired, it is not an application requirement for the award recipient to be present at the Competition to receive the award.
Should you have any questions during the application process, please contact: fcc.albany@gmail.com.
Future City High School Sponsorhip
Future City Albany offers a limited number of sponsorships to help high school teams participate in the Future City High School Program. Priority is given to teams with a connection to the Future City Albany Region through former participants, coaches, mentors, or schools.
To be considered, teams must complete an application and commit to active participation throughout the season. Sponsorship recipients are expected to maintain communication and make a good-faith effort to complete program deliverables.
Our sponsorship program is designed to support students as they continue their STEM journey beyond middle school while strengthening the Future City community in the Capital Region.
Apply here: Future City High School – Albany Sponsorship
Current Sponsors
For information about fundraising, reach out to Wayne Bonesteel at wbonesteel@azardzn.com.
Thank you to one of our platinum sponsors, Capital District Engineers Week! For more information, see the following links:
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Contact Us
Addyson Lyons
Regional Coordinator
fcc.albany@gmail.com
Anita Stabrowski
Educator and Mentor Coordinator
fcc.albany.schools@gmail.com
Jocelyn Dumlao & Pramila Nirbhavane
Judge Coordinators
fcc.albany.judge@outlook.com
Morgan Moldoff & Julie Thompson
Volunteer Coordinators
fcc.albany.volunteer@gmail.com
Meet Our Committee!
Regional Coordinator
Addyson Lyons, PE, Bentley Systems
School & Mentor Coordinator
Anita Stabrowski
Logistics Committee
Morgan Moldoff, PE, Saratoga Railroad Engineering
Julie Thompson, Philips
Jennifer Smith, Plug Power
Oliver Boomhower, GE Global Research
Fundraising Coordinator
Wayne Bonesteel, PE, Azar Design Co
Judging Coordinators
Amanda Kinley, PE, GPI
Heather Wyld, PE, CHA Consulting, Inc.
Jocelyn Dumlao, NYISO
Pramila Nirbhavane, NYISO
Finance Coordinator
Sponsor and Awards Coordinator
Tim Jablonski, JMT of New York, Inc.
Publicity and Publications Coordinators
Megan Cianfarini, NYSTEC
Heather Pace, NKB