Meadow Elementary Students Excel at International Competition

Seven students from Meadow Elementary School, comprising 4th and 5th graders, recently traveled to Indiana University in Bloomfield, Indiana to participate in the Future Problem Solving International Conference—an integral component of the broader Future Problem Solvers program, designed to empower students to tackle real-world challenges through creative thinking and innovative solutions.

There, they competed against over 2,000 skilled problem solvers globally. Under the guidance of their advisors and Meadow teachers, Ms. Pria Das and Ms. Emily Clark, the Meadow students proudly placed 3rd, standing out as the sole team from Long Island and the only New York school to secure a placement at the international level. Meadow previously won first place at the New York State Bowl. Competing with teams from 14 countries and 34 U.S. states, they returned with an assortment of trophies and medals.

The students' project focused on enhancing and raising awareness for the Baldwin dog park. They initiated the project by presenting their concept to town officials, including Councilwoman Laura A. Ryder and her colleagues, and collaborated closely with them. The students also conducted surveys among residents to gather input on improvements and presented their solutions. Together, they planted trees and flowers donated by Baldwin’s Lion Club, selected equipment, and created informative posters.

For marketing and awareness, the Meadow students reached out to Bringfido.com to feature Baldwin Dog Park on their site, increasing visibility for dog owners. Additionally, they launched an Instagram page to further engage the community.

Throughout the years, students at Meadow have addressed a range of local issues. Last year, they concentrated on raising awareness for the endangered piping plover, bolstering conservation initiatives throughout Long Island. The previous year, they launched a love-of-reading campaign to help improve literacy skills among young children and even launched a ‘book exchange,’ also known as the Little Free Library, at two Baldwin schools for the community to use.

“We are incredibly proud of our students for earning third place in the Future Problem Solvers International competition at Indiana University,” said Dr. Yolanda Martin, principal of Meadow Elementary School. “Their dedication to enhancing our local dog park reflects the true spirit of humanity, citizenship and compassion and embodies the cornerstones of Baldwin 2035. Through innovative problem-solving, fundraising, and community engagement, our students have made a lasting positive impact on Baldwin. Their efforts inspire us all to care for and improve the world around us.”

“I couldn’t be prouder of how this group represented not just their project, but their entire community,” added Ms. Das. “They presented their project with lots of passion and their dedication to the project really did shine through.”

The Future Problem Solving International Conference competition is part of the broader Future Problem Solvers program, which encourages students to address real-world challenges using creative thinking and innovative solutions. Established in 1974 by Dr. E. Paul Torrance, the program fosters critical thinking skills and assists students in formulating a vision for the future.

The Meadow dog park project is on-going, and the students plan to conduct a post survey to collect feedback from the community, but for now, the summer break awaits!

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