Pottsgrove Middle School students present working floating-city model, win two Future City awards

Three Pottsgrove Middle School students presented Seaview City, a working model built for this year’s Future City competition, and told the Pottsgrove School District board that the project earned two competition awards: best transportation planning and best energy source.

The presentation on Seaview City was delivered by Haley Andrews, a seventh grader, and eighth graders Zach Aber and Alan Matthews. “Hi, everyone. My name is Haley Andrews, and I'm part of the Potts Grove Middle School Future City team,” Andrews told the board, describing the team’s months-long design process, a 1,500-word essay and a scale model built to meet the competition’s floating-city theme.

The students said they visited Longport, New Jersey, the city that inspired their entry, met a city planner and a GPS charting business owner, and consulted a biochemist who works on genetically modified algae. They credited an engineering mentor, Mr. Nipper, and their classroom teacher, Deborah Frasca, for support.

Why it matters: The presentation highlighted hands-on STEM learning in Pottsgrove School District and the practical problem-solving the students practiced while working on an engineering project under tight budget constraints.

In describing technical hurdles, the students said the team used real water for the model, which required multiple iterations to keep dock tops from warping and to prevent color bleeding. They explained they ultimately sealed wood and docks with Flex Seal and industrial-grade waterproofing and modified dock attachments so individual sections could float independently. “We had instances of leakages throughout the construction, but with time, they were patched,” Andrews said. At the competition, the team ran water into the model and pumped it out; they did not demonstrate running water at the board meeting because of logistics.

Board member Chuck, who said he visits the classroom weekly as operations committee chair, praised the students’ engineering approach and noted the project succeeded despite the team’s limited budget. “This was the only one that had working water,” Chuck told the board, calling the model a “real working prototype” and commending the students for practical problem solving.

The board recognized the team and those who supported them. The three students received applause from board members and staff; the presentation concluded with the board thanking the students, Mr. Nipper and Deborah Frasca.

Provenance: The presentation begins with the board’s introduction of the students and teacher and continues through the students’ description of technical challenges and awards at the competition.