Sol Invictus, presented by Hannah Skousen, Shane Sexton, Kendahl Belmore, Project Manager Makayla Thacker and alternate Sarah Earle, was one of the projects qualifying for the regional competition. Photo by Devin Carson

Eight teams of Desert Wind Middle School students are taking their ideas of the future to Arizona State University.

In judged competition Wednesday at DWMS, they were deemed to have the best representations of this year’s theme and standard requirements. Future City Competition is designed for sixth, seventh and eighth graders to research and build their imagined cities of the future.

Each year, the focus is one sustainability issue. This year, that problem was waste management. The projects had to include business and residential areas, public safety, transportation, energy and entertainment. They also needed moving parts.

The teams were comprised of three members, a project manager and usually an alternate.

Matt Blodgett, the project manager for the qualifying city Reine Luft, said he wanted to participate because Future City offered the opportunity to try many different things and show what he could do. Molly Jorgensen, an alternate, said it was a chance to work on her public presentation skills.

The DWMS competition was organized by teachers Shannon Hull and Jen Szoltysik and engineer/mentor Gerry Hahn.

Hull said the students had six minutes to make their presentation to the panel of four judges, who then questioned them for details.

Maricopa Wells Middle School will have its Future City Competition Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

The teams that will compete in the Arizona Regional Competition on Jan. 23 are:

Bosque Obsidiana – Logen Thomas, Jeremiha Ballard, Diamond Shearrow, Project Manager Tanner Siebert, Alternate Erin Jackson-Foutz
Dzvene Bopona – Rylin Balgaard, Emmy Balgaard, Isabel Youniacutt, Project Manager Brian Petersheim
Gronn Vekkelse – Parker Hunsaker, Alysa Huffman, Henry McCloskey, Project Manager Matt Whitley, Alternate Kian Pack
Novos Comecos – Rhiannon Reed, Jordan Levy, Savanna Shelabarger, Project Manager Jaden Pyle, Alt Landen Thomas
Reine Luft – Riley Bell-Niver, Jeanette Gord, Jarom Hoopes, Project Manager Matt Blodgett, Alternate Molly Jorgensen
Rugsberg – D’Avion Cyprian, Jailynn Cannon, Elizabeth Barba, Project Manager Alexia Timmons
Sol Invictus – Hannah Skousen, Shane Sexton, Kendahl Belmore, Project Manager Makayla Thacker, Alternate Sarah Earle
Tulevaisuus – Sydney Anderson, Matthew Roman, Ryan Nguyen, Project Manager Airen Fortunato, Alternate Genesis Uriarte-Sandoval and Sheena Duke