Washington, DC—In February, the American Public Works Association (APWA) participated in the 2025 Future City® global science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competition by sponsoring a special award as part of its commitment to developing the future workforce in public works. APWA representatives Vic Bianes, PE, APWA President-Elect; and Corinne Watts, APWA Career and Workforce Development Manager, presented the #AQOLFA Award: Advancing Quality of Life for All to:
City Name: Nouvassua
Team Presenters: Khloe Hibbard, Liam Roe, and Luke Roe
Educator: Susan Solomon
Mentor: Rachel Bisaro
School: Joseph K Lumsden Bahweting Anishnabe Academy
Future City Region: Michigan
The Future City competition is held annually by DiscoverE (Discover Engineering), a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering interest in STEM. This year’s challenge “Above the Current” required participants to envision sustainable, floating cities that address rising sea levels and climate change, demonstrating creativity, engineering prowess, and teamwork.
The high school competition saw 83 teams, comprising almost 300 students from across the US and China, engage in imagining, researching, designing, and building cities of the future. Emphasizing the engineering design process and project management, students collaborated in teams, led by coaches, to create an essay and a digital model showcasing a sustainable city solving the annual challenge. The competition culminated in a live presentation before a panel of STEM professionals.
To learn more about APWA’s workforce development resources, click here.
