ARMA — Have you ever been curious about what future cities will look like?
Three Northeast Junior High students Dawson Troth, Atticus Johnson, Braden Young created an elaborate model of a futuristic city for the Great Plains Regional Future City Competition.

Through the program Future City, middle-school-aged students can find ways to make the world a better place using research, imagination and design. Competitions in the past have covered many subjects — including stormwater management, urban agriculture and green energy.

Since the beginning of the school year Troth, Johnson and Young planned and designed a city, which focused on safe spaces for all ages.

This included elevators, entrances and sidewalks people from all walks of life can utilize safely. The design had to be futuristic, yet plausible.

On top of learning how to create a sustainable city, they recycled everyday items into their project. They were not allowed to spend too much money on the project, Gifted Program Facilitator Brad Johnson said, the more recyclables and creativity, the better the turn-out for the students.

Their project included a working part — a motor connected to fan blade to simulate a windmill.

Johnson said the students did well and worked together, they took home the Ad Astra Award for “Best Future City Located in Space” during the competition at Great Plains Regional Future City Competition in Lawrence.

“I was really pleased with them,” Johnson said.

As part of the competition the students wrote an essay and presented their project in front of a panel of judges.

Johnson said he believes Future City is a good program for students because it focuses on real life issues in “a world they will inherit.”

— Stephanie Potter is a staff writer at the Morning Sun. She can be emailed at spotter@morningsun.net or follow her on Twitter @PittStephP and Instagram @stephanie_morningsun.