Coruña British International School, the first non-English speaking team in the final of the FPS competition

Four secondary students from Coruña British International School travelled this month to Indiana (USA) to compete in the final of the international Future Problem Solving competition. We are talking about Alberto, Elisa, Jana and Martín, from Year 7, who in the regional phase tested their skills and abilities to solve problems against 21 teams from France, UAE, India, Pakistan, Canada and USA, being one of the three teams invited to this international event.   

It has been a truly enriching experience for these Year 7 students, who have had the wonderful opportunity to represent not only Coruña British International School, but also their country, Spain, in the world final of this competition.   

It also has been a fun-filled seven days of learning and competing with like-minded children from all over the world. The children have had the opportunity to meet new friends, learn new skills, experience different cultures. An unforgettable experience that ended with a fantastic 11th place out of 53 teams, being the first non-native English speaking group, followed by a Turkish team in 28th place. Congratulations CBIS Future Problem Solvers!        

Kerryn Koh, the teacher who has accompanied them on this adventure, is really proud of the achievement of these young students, who are only 12 years old. Critical thinking and problem solving is a key skill in the British curriculum, and although they started their preparation last year, this was their first participation in an official competition. "I couldn't be prouder of the effort made by these four students and the skills demonstrated during this experience, an experience they will carry with them forever," she says.  

Future Problem Solving  

Future Problem Solving is a global event that brings together more than 2,500 problem-solving champions from around the world, who compete throughout the school year at local and regional level to qualify for the grand final held in June at Indiana University in Bloomington (USA). At this event, our students will have unique experiences while competing with their peers and collaborating with new friends. Throughout the year, students compete on four different themes, always using their problem-solving skills to address unique challenges designated for the International Conference that affect the global community. This year's theme is air quality. In the past, the international event has tackled such topical issues as Intellectual Property, Space, the Global Status of Women and Green Living, among others.