Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Future Is Bright

The passion and creativity of several students is proof that amazing things are going to happen.

  • By Deborah P. Moore
  • 10/01/13

So often we hear about how our education system is failing, how we are not keeping pace with other countries, how our schools are putting the future of our country in jeopardy. All that I have to say to those who believe the hype is, you are wrong.

Last week at the Council of Educational Facility Planners, International (CEFPI) conference, I was fortunate enough to meet two high school students from Alaska, Ariel Hasse and Zachary Neubauer, who showed me just how bright our future can be. Ariel is currently a junior at Mat Su Career and Technical High School in Alaska. Zac, a high school senior, also attends the University of Alaska, Anchorage fulltime. Ariel and Zac presented their project called High School of the Future, a competition where students across the globe are asked to, “bring their own brand of creativity to the planning and design process” and design the dream high school of the future.

As they put it, “the story of High School of the Future begins with a group of dysfunctional, overly motivated students who decided to turn their summer into a memorable and exciting adventure.” Ariel had participated in CEFPI’s Middle School of the Future program, but winning that competition wasn’t enough — it ignited a passion. That, with the help of Zac, Courtney Monroe and a few friends, was the start of their own competition — High School of the Future. They developed the criteria for the competition, a website, futurehighschool.org/home.html, a video explaining the program, relationships with mentors and partnerships to help with funding the program.

It may have started as “their” project, but it is now open to high school students across the globe. In fact, they even suggested that the members of a team could be from different schools or even countries. Registration for their 2014 competition opened Sept. 20, with submissions due Feb. 7, 2014.

Meeting these students, listening to their thought process, and seeing what they accomplished was truly amazing. Many of those who saw their presentation asked the students if they were interested in coming to work for their company. For me, the question was… “can I come and work for you!” If students like this are our future, then the future is bright!

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management October 2013 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • Moline-Coal Valley School District to Consolidate Two Schools into New Facility

    The Moline-Coal Valley School District in Moline, Ill., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff from two existing schools, according to local news. Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will serve as the new home for Lincoln-Irving Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.

  • 144-Year-Old High-School Campus Debuts New Academic Facility

    San Diego High School (SDHS) in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new student services and classroom building; the project is part of a larger SDHS Whole Site Modernization project that began in 2022.