Future Problem Solvers of America

Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI)
Official Website
http://www.fpspi.org
Mission
To develop the ability of young people globally to design and achieve positive futures through problem solving using critical and creative thinking.
Membership
50+ programs across 18+ countries
Office Location
Melbourne, FL
Leadership Team
Interim Executive Director: April Dennis
President, Board of Trustees: Janet Fite
Finances
Non-Profit Organization

Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI) organizes academic competitions in which students apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to hypothetical future situations. The program looks at current technological, geopolitical, and societal trends and projects those trends 20–30 years into the future in order to train students to develop solutions to the challenges they may face as adults. FPSPI was founded by creativity researcher Ellis Paul Torrance in 1974. Today, thousands of students from over a dozen countries participate in the program each year. The program is open to students who are in the equivalent of the U.S. grade level range of 4 through 12. The "4 C's" as they are called (Communication, Collaboration, Creative Thinking, and Critical Thinking), are what the program aims to develop in young people.

FPSPI is a federation of state- or nationwide organizations called affiliates. Each affiliate is responsible for conducting the competitions which take place in its own geographic area. There are affiliate programs in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Australia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Malaysia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, New Zealand, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Texas, United Kingdom, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Programs that are being developed exist as mentored regions in Arkansas, China, France, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Republic of Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Wyoming.

Students begin preparing for competition at the start of each school year. Depending on the affiliate and the type of competition, there may be regional, state, or national levels of competition that take place during the year. Only the winners of any given competition qualify to proceed to the next level. The highest level of competition takes place at the annual International Conference (IC), which is held in May or June, at the end of the United States school year. The IC is held at the campus of a public university in the United States (the country with the largest number of competitors), with a new location being chosen every two years.

Each round of competition focuses on a different topic for students to research. Topics come from one of three categories (a) Business/Economics (b) Science/Technology (c) Social/Political. The FPSPI global community is encouraged to submit topics for consideration. Recent topics have included: The Impact of Social Media, Surveillance Society, Disappearing Languages, and BioSecurity.

...
Wikipedia