116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
NewBoCo Feature: Future City Partnership Expands Reach of STEM Learning for Iowa Middle Schoolers
New partnership with Iowa State could bring more teams from across the Iowa
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
What might look like a typical after-school craft project, complete with glue, recycled egg cartons, and a late-night trip to the store for forgotten supplies, is a window into Iowa’s future.
Each year, the Future City Regional Competition challenges middle school students to envision, research, and design cities of tomorrow. Students work in teams to create physical models and present bold solutions to real-world problems. It's imaginative, educational, and now, growing in both size and significance thanks to a new partnership between NewBoCo and Iowa State University Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering.
In January 2026, the regional competition will move to ISU’s Ames campus, bringing students one step closer to the world they are designing for.
“As home to the College of Engineering, one of the largest and most respected in the country, ISU provides student participants with access to inspiring facilities, dedicated faculty, and enthusiastic engineering students,” said Dr. David Sanders, Greenwood Department Chair, and Professor of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at ISU. “The university’s central location in Iowa makes it accessible for schools across the state, and the vibrant campus atmosphere adds excitement and energy to the event.”
Future City Iowa Regional Competition has been organized by NewBoCo since 2017, reaching more than 1,500 students and welcoming an average of 20 schools, with up to four teams each, from across Iowa each year. With ISU joining as host and partner, the competition aims to expand its impact.
The theme for the 2026 challenge is Farm to Table, encouraging students to reimagine the future of food systems, agriculture, and sustainability, with the winning team representing Iowa in Washington D.C.
“We hope to see more schools able to participate from more parts of the state,” said Samantha Dahlby, Director of Education at NewBoCo. “We look forward to engaging more companies and communities so that middle schoolers can picture what their future in Iowa could be. I also look forward to more space for STEM organizations to be present so that the families and supporters of the competing students can explore hands-on activities and demonstrations of STEM in action.”
The competition doesn’t just introduce students to engineering concepts; it helps them see themselves as future engineers, scientists, and problem-solvers. It’s a powerful tool for sparking long-term interest in STEM fields.
“By engaging with hands-on STEM learning at a young age, students begin to see engineering not just as a subject, but as a powerful tool for solving problems and shaping communities,” said Sanders. “... this competition helps students take their first steps toward becoming the innovators our world needs to improve the quality of life. Our work touches nearly every aspect of daily life, and we need the creativity these students will demonstrate through the Future City Competition.”
With growth comes opportunity and the need for more mentors, volunteers, and community partners who believe in helping young Iowans build brighter futures. NewBoCo encourages engineers, educators, and STEM enthusiasts to get involved by mentoring teams, volunteering at the event, or spreading the word to schools that have never participated before.
Because when students can see a future they can shape, they’re more likely to stay and build it—right here in Iowa.
Visit https://newbo.co/education/k-12/future- city/ for more information or contact K 12@ newbo.co with questions.
Jessica Abdoney is marketing and communications coordinator at NewBoCo. Comments: jessica.abdoney@newbo.co
Daily Newsletters