Home schooled Future Problem Solving teams from the area earned recognition at the 2023 International Competition in Amherst, Massachusetts, June 7 - 11.  The topic of the competition was Currency, and the futuristic scenario described how the island nation of Trinidad & Tobago had switched, in 2052, to a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) operated by the government rather than by banks. 

The senior division team of Matt Schaeckenbach, Brady Diercks, Maggie Greer, Lewis Sutton, and Adelle Jenkins won the FPS International Championship for its Presentation of Action Plan.  The team’s plan explained how quantum computers could be re-engineered to create financial models for the citizens of Trinidad & Tobago and result in the CBDC being more reliable.  

Matt Schaeckenbach won second place worldwide for his Scenario Performance, a storytelling competition.  Matt’s original story showed a possible consequence of a government-controlled finance system where specific purchases could be denied.  In the three years that Matt participated in the Future Problem Solving Scenario Performance International Competition, he has placed second, second, and first. 

Adelle Jenkins, who formerly lived in the Kalona/Wellman area, won fourth place in the senior division Global Issues Problem Solving individual competition.  Although Adelle now lives in Oregon, she is coached by Paula Lawson-Moore, who also coaches all the area home schooled problem solvers. 

Other highlights of the 2023 Future Problem Solving Competition include that fact that four of the five home schooled teams advanced to the Presentation of Action Plan final round of competition in the middle and senior divisions.  Three of the home schooled teams placed in the top 20 worldwide for their written Global Issues Problem Solving work. All twenty-two problem solvers also prepared and performed a lively, fun act for the FPS Variety Show using songs about money. 

The Future Problem Solving families and coach would like to thank Hills Bank in Hills for allowing the problem solvers to hold a large bake sale fundraising event prior to the competition and for providing helpful research information about banking via a presentation for the students.