The Kalona Area Homeschool Future Problem Solving (FPS) team took 4th place in the skit presentation segment of the FPS International Competition at Ann Arbor, Michigan June 11-14. The team, consisting of Jonathan Miller, Benjamin Moore, Hannah Asbury and Christina Adams, competed against 57 other senior division teams from the United States and throughout the world.

Topic for the competition was Distribution of Wealth, and the local team’s best solution involved adapting the recently invented functional magnetic resonance imaging machine (fMRI) so it could scan the brain, identifying the primary motivator for each person living in the economically depressed areas described in the future scenario. The information was then incorporated into their workplace in order to increase the chance that they would be able to improve their financial situations.

Although the Future Problem Solving season is over, the team is not finished solving problems. Due to several problems associated with the evaluation of team booklets at the international competition, the local students decided to continue meeting and use the FPS process to brainstorm possible solutions that could improve the quality of evaluation at the international level.

The team’s results will be sent to the International FPS office.

The team was able to compete at the International, thanks to help from major sponsors Kalona Auto and Herman Slabach of Slabach Construction Company, as well as other sponsors Samson Enterprises, Inc., Daniel K. Yoder and Son of Wellman, CJN Adams Corp. (provided team T-shirts), Farmers Savings Bank, Ruth Lawson, Jim and Donabell Moore, Fisher Insurance Agency, Washington Township Optimist Club, Hills Bank Kalona (free bank account), The Kalona News and the Kalona Area Homeschoolers Group.

Farmers Savings Bank, Hills Bank Kalona, Yotty’s Golf Carts and Twin Country Dairy, Inc. provided Kalona souvenirs for the momento exchange during the International.

The team is coached by Paula Lawson-Moore.