Future Problem Solvers place 3rd in New Zealand

Our senior school (Year 11 – 13) Global Issues Problem Solving Team placed third in the national finals held in Auckland over the weekend of 3 and 4 November. The four top senior secondary school teams in the country were required to identify challenges, find the underlying problem, develop possible solutions, assess the worth of possible solutions and develop an action plan to solve the problem in a one-page scenario provided to them. The scenario was about possible trade barriers in 2035. The team was Scott Cameron, Hamish Annan, David Ju and Iain Miller. This was the first time since Hamilton Boys’ High School began Future Problem Solving in 2007 that a team has made the national finals. What was particularly significant was that the other three schools in the finals have all won the national title on multiple occasions. First place went to Matamata College, with Kristin School second and Nelson College fourth.

An adjunct to the main competition is the dramatic performance. In this competition each team is required to turn their action plan into a four-minute dramatic performance using only pre-specified props. Nelson College has established a reputation as the team to beat in this competition but went down to our very talented team with their very humorous performance of “Trade: The Musical”. Our boys were delighted to claim the trophy for the best senior dramatic presentation.  Next year we will be looking to other boys to take up Future Problem Solving as an academically challenging extra-curricular activity suited to problem solvers who enjoy working as members of a team.