Future City Competition® Opens Registration for 2025-26 Season: Students Reimagine the Future of Food in "Farm to Table" Challenge

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- What will it take to feed the world 100 years from now without wasting precious resources? More than 85,000 middle and high school students worldwide will take on that question in this year's Future City Competition®, a globally recognized STEM program now accepting registrations for the 2025–26 season.

This year's theme, "Farm to Table," challenges students to design a city 100 years in the future that dramatically reduces food waste—from farming to production to consumption. From futuristic farms to reimagined food systems, teams will engineer bold solutions to one of today's most pressing global challenges.

Why Participate?

Future City is more than a competition—it's a hands-on learning experience where students in grades 6-12 become engineers, problem-solvers, and innovators. Guided by educators/coaches and STEM mentors, teams bring their visions to life by:

• Writing an essay that explains their city's vision
• Constructing a physical model of their design
• Presenting their ideas to STEM professionals

The Future City experience emphasizes career exploration, teamwork, and STEM confidence while tackling real-world sustainability challenges. Top teams advance to the Finals in Washington, DC, in February, where they present to a panel of STEM professionals. Finalists are eligible for up to $200,000 in scholarships and cash prizes.

"Every year, Future City students amaze us with their creativity, imagination, and determination," said Kathy Renzetti, Executive Director at DiscoverE. "This season's Farm to Table theme is especially exciting because food waste and sustainability are challenges we face right now. By asking students to imagine solutions 100 years in the future, we empower them to think big, work as a team, and see themselves as the engineers who will help shape a better tomorrow."

A Call to Educators, Coaches, and Out-of-School Leaders

Whether you lead a classroom, an afterschool program, or a youth organization, Future City is a ready-made STEM opportunity to engage students in critical thinking, teamwork, and career exploration. With regional competitions held across the country, students gain the chance to showcase their ideas locally and—if they advance—at the Future City Finals in Washington, DC, in February 2026.

How to Get Involved

• Register a Team: Sign up middle or high school teams at futurecity.org.
• Follow Along: Stay connected with tips and updates on Facebook and Instagram.
• Volunteer: Engineers, STEM professionals, and technical experts are invited to serve as mentors, judges, and regional volunteers. Your expertise can help shape the next generation of innovators. Sign up here for middle school and here for high school.

About DiscoverE

DiscoverE is a nonprofit organization committed to inspiring and empowering the next generation of engineers through free and low-cost global STEM programs. DiscoverE's initiatives include Engineers Week™, Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day™, Chats with Change Makers, and the Future City® Competition. These programs emphasize problem-solving, creativity, and the critical role of engineering in building a better future.

For more information, visit discovere.org.

SOURCE Discover Engineering