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Future Problem Solving |
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A focus at Prestonwood Christian Academy is to provide challenging enrichment opportunities for students that compliment and enhance the regular curriculum. Future Problem Solving provides a venue for students at PCA to utilize their skills they have acquired to compete in a competitive setting that includes the best and brightest students from public schools from the state of Texas. Those students who advance to international competition compete against the best from other states and countries also involved in the FPS program.
The goals of the program are to:
- Develop creative thinking (fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration)
- Develop and improve research skills
- Increase awareness of and interest in the future while studying current significant issues
- Develop teamwork skills
- Improve communication skills both written and verbal
- Develop critical and analytical thinking skills
- Learn and utilize problem solving strategies
Program Overview
Future Problem Solving, which began in 1974, is an international competitive program where gifted and high-achieving students are given the opportunity to compete in either team, individual, community service, creative drama, or scenario writing competitions. FPS teaches students how to think, not what to think, and instructs students how to examine the world in constructive ways while providing them with strategies for facing the unknowable future. (FPS Manual)
Participation Requirements
All students in advanced English courses in 7th and 8th grades participate in FPS. Students must apply for continued participation in the program once they enter high school. Students who wish to be considered for admission to the program must meet the following requirements.
Incoming 9th graders (from PCA):
- Must have successfully completed FPS in middle school and must have maintained an 85% or higher in the class.
- Teacher Recommendation
New incoming 9th graders (must meet four of the five of the requirements):
- 90% average in an advanced level English course
- Intellectual Abilities test of 110 or higher
- Reading and language scores of 80% or higher
- Teacher Recommendation
- Involvement in a gifted and talented program in Middle School
Application Process
All incoming 9th -12th grade students are required to complete an application and teacher recommendation form. (9th grade students who have been involved in FPS in Middle School do not need to complete a teacher recommendation form. This has already been completed by your 8th grade teacher).
Each of the following forms must be completed and turned in to the FPS Director (Adobe Acrobat Reader is required)
Honors Credit for FPS
An FPS course is offered during the fall semester for PreAP/honors credit. Students will receive 0.5 honors credit for their participation during spring semester.
Honors/PreAP Independent study credit will be given each semester to those students that participate in FPS once a week during activity period. Students that participate all four years, but never advance to state bowl competition will earn one full credit. Students that advance to the state bowl have the potential to earn two full credits upon graduation. In order to be awarded this credit, students must attend all required sessions and complete the assigned work.
More Information
For more detailed information about FPS at PCA, click here.
Click here to visit the Texas State FPS website. Click here to visit the International FPS website.
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