Caledonia Argus

Sixteen consecutive years and counting: Future Problem Solvers head to state

Posted: 4/15/03

by Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

Forget about motorized transportation. Nine area high school students have reasoned their way to the Twin Cities.

After showcasing their cognitive capabilities at a regional meet on March 1, two teams of Future Problem Solvers (FPS) from Caledonia High School have qualified for the state competition on April 26 in the Twin Cities.

Experience is on Caledoniaís side at the state meet. This is Caledoniaís sixteenth consecutive year at the competition, and the teamís first contingent, consisting of seniors Paul Whitesitt, Nicole Heintz, Christopher Kemp, Steven Neumann, and sophomore Julia Quanrud, is led by students whoíve been involved in FPS since fifth grade.

The second groupñ made up of juniors Carrie Meiners, Julie Abrahamzon, Sarah Doty, and Anna Bulmanñ has been together four years, and did well enough at the state meet in 2001 to qualify for the international competition in Georgia.

Cheryl Whitesitt, whoís served as the Caledonia FPS coach for the past 18 years, expects both teams to perform well at state, but said that, though trophies and top honors are a welcome perq, the value of FPS lies in the reasoning process it instills in students.

ìItís been great fun to watch these kids grow and to grow with them, and going to state is a real treat,î Whitesitt said, ìbut the real victory for me is not all the trophies we bring back, but watching the kids use the FPS process in their lives.î

The process taught through FPSñ researching a topic, determining the problem, and then brainstorming solutionsñ is something that will prove invaluable even after high school, Whitesitt noted. Former students have contacted Whitesitt years after finishing FPS, championing the real-life skills they acquired through the program.

ìThe process Iím teaching is to develop an action plan thatís right for them,î Whitesitt said, ìand former students will come back and say, ëI use the process every day in my job, to decide what school to go to, what career to choose.í They get to a certain stage where they realize theyíre using the FPS process, and as a result theyíll be productive citizens, and thatís what itís all about.î

Current participants have adopted a similiar view of the virtues of FPS, claiming that what it teaches is applicable well beyond the confines of the classroom.

ìIt teaches you problem solving skills and it stimulates your mind,î said Anna Bulman, ìand the skills you learn you can use throughout your life.î

ìIt makes you be creative,î added Sarah Doty. ìMost people donít think two hours in a room working on a packet would be fun, but itís fun, and it makes you think of things youíve never thought of before.î

The two Caledonia teams are among 21 teams statewide that will compete this April 26 at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School in Plymouth, MN. The topic of inquiry at state is DNA Identification, and top-scoring teams will qualify for the international competition to be held June 5-8 at the University of Connecticut.

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