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Our Topics

2026-2027 Competition Season

Our real world topics are future-focused

Each year our topics represent important challenges from business, civics, society, science, and technology.

Practice Problem #1
Digital Dark Age

Science & Technology
In the digital dark age, how might we prioritize data to save and reduce the effects of information loss in the future?
Read More >
Fact Sheet (PDF) >

Practice Problem #2
Disappearing Cultures

Civics & Society
How might the losses of endangered cultures across the world impact individuals and communities in the future?
Read More >
Fact Sheet (PDF) >

State Finals Qualifying Problem
Influencer Marketing

Business & Economics
How might influencer marketing evolve as businesses strive to preserve their credibility while maximizing profits in the future?
Read More >
Fact Sheet (PDF) >

State Finals Problem
Health Security

Science & Technology
How might health security efforts prevent, prepare for, and mitigate the impact of public health crises in the future?
Read More >
Fact Sheet (PDF) >

World Finals Problem
Topic Announcement

March 1, 2027

Submit a Topic

Have a topic idea?

We welcome ideas for future competition topics from anyone in our global community and accept submissions year round. Given our review process and resource development cycle, it often takes several years for a new topic to reach students. By utilizing real issues and embracing the future, we stay relevant in the ever-evolving educational space.

Submit a Topic

Our Approach

Problems of the world cover diverse category strands

Our topics represent important challenges from business, civics, society, science, and technology and serve as the thematic basis for given problem-solving situations. Each school year, students get 3-5 opportunities to solve important near-future global issues based on their progress in local and regional competitions. Students may also choose to address a current local community issue with our Community Projects program.

box-robotic-workforce

Business & Economics

From tourism to the robotic workforce, check out some of our recent global topics.

Read More >
box-throwaway-society

Civics & Society

From urbanization to criminal justice systems, see some of our recent global topics.

Read More >
box-artificial-intelligence

Science & Technology

From neurotechnology to digital realities, review some of our recent global topics.

Read More >

Sandy Mocharnuk

When you review the list of roles Sandy has held in Future Problem Solving, you’ll know why she’s an invaluable part of our team. She’s literally at the center of everything we do!

2014-Current   California Affiliate Director / California Evaluator Trainer

1999-Current   International Evaluator (Global Issues & Creative Writing)

1989-2008       Affiliate Evaluator (CA, WA, TX)

1989-2008       Global Issues coach  

1995-2008       Creative Writing/Storytelling Coach

1999-2008       Coach Trainer / Florida Future Scene Coordinator / Evaluator Trainer

2000-2008       FPS Florida, Brevard District Representative

2000-2008       Brevard District Competition Coordinator

2003-2008       Community Projects Coach​

Ariella Leeder

Beginning her Future Problem Solving journey as a participant in Michigan, Ariella competed for three years as a student. Her teams competed at the state level each year and advanced to the International competition twice, earning 4th place at the International level. After beginning her teaching career, she introduced the program to the Del Mar Union School District and started coaching at two schools. She developed programs at four of the Del Mar Schools and is currently coaching at Ocean Air School where she also teaches as part of the school’s STEAM+ teaching wheel. 

Each year her program at Ocean Air enrolls around 100 students in Global Issues and Creative Writing. Her students have earned many awards over the years, including several world championships. 

Ariella’s passion is introducing new coaches and students to the FPS program and seeing the excitement in their eyes and they begin their FPS journey! She has been involved with the program as a Board Member, Evaluation Coordinator, Affiliate Director and currently works as a Co-Affiliate Director training new coaches and coordinating the annual California State Finals.

Leanne Di Bella

Leanne teaches 4th and 5th grade at Katherine Finchy Elementary School in Palm Springs. During a professional development meeting years ago, a speaker presented the challenge of preparing students for careers that don’t yet exist. No suggestion of a solution was offered, leaving Leanne to exercise her own problem-solving skills.

At that point, Leanne decided to sharpen her focus on the critical thinking skills that would best serve her students in a future yet unimagined. She examined her own educational career from elementary school to earning a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, settling on her 4th through 12th grade experience in Future Problem Solving as the best means for “teaching kids how to think, not what to think.”

Leanne introduced team Global Issues to her school then, is now coaching Creative Writing, and has also enjoyed competing with three Community Projects teams. Community Projects consumes the mind and opens the heart like no other academic process Leanne has seen in an expansive teaching career. Her students in all branches of the program appreciate that FPS prepares them for a future invested in collaboration, time management, and critical thinking. It prepares them for life.

Cyrus Merrill

Cyrus began coaching FPS at the Harker School in San Jose in the late 1990s. He has been a Board member for more than a decade and also served as State Board Chair. He is passionate about the value of the process in challenging students to develop problem solving skills and ultimately life skills – with numerous former students telling him that “FPS may or may not have helped them get into college, but it has absolutely helped them get a job after college.”

Cyrus’ program at Harker has grown to encompass 70-90 kids in a given year with teams and individuals qualifying for International competition numerous times and finishing first at both the middle and senior level. A unique component of the program at Harker is that it is almost entirely student-run – with high school students coaching and training the middle school students. These students frequently continue on with FPS in high school and eventually become mentors themselves.  Always willing to meet with and mentor new coaches on the process, his practices take place on the weekend to allow observers to come and learn along with the students.

In addition to coordinating FPS, he teaches US History at the Harker School and has worked in various areas of education and curriculum design as well as with a tech start up.

Mackenzie Yaryura

Mackenzie has been involved with Future Problem Solving since the age of 12 – competing in both Global Issues and Community Projects; placing Internationally, including World Champion for Community Projects. She coached several Woodland School teams/individuals with wins at both the State and International level.

Graduating from Stanford with a B.A. in Public Policy and Honors in Education, she joined the FPS California Board in 2019 to assist with fundraising and growth initiatives and also serves on the Board of our parent organization, Future Problem Solving. 

Mackenzie is an operator with a management consulting background, focused on growth strategy and business operations. She spent four years in management consulting at Boston Consulting Group where she worked across four continents in public, social impact, and digital sectors specializing in project management, large-scale transformations and complex stakeholder engagement. She then joined Silicon Valley based startup Reforge as a Strategy Lead and is currently the Chief of Staff for Rowan. 

Lisa Mattioli Chand

Looking for an activity that would academically challenge her curious 4th grader, Lisa stumbled upon Future Problem Solving and was recruited to help build out the program at Woodland School in Portola Valley. Since then she has; introduced FPS as an Elective to 30 middle schoolers, overseen two consecutive teams advancing to State Finals, and cheered on her son who’s team also placed 3rd in Creative Writing at the World Finals. Not wanting to see the program end at Woodland with the departure of their coach, she joined the Board to help with marketing and fundraising activities. 

Lisa began her career at Apple in and has consulted for several start-ups including; Facebook, DropBox, Ribbit/BT, Skype, Business 2.0, Washington Mutual and many others in various marketing roles.

Erwin Hosono

After watching how much his young son was getting out of FPS California, Erwin began serving on the California Board in 2012 and currently serves as Board President. He is also Treasurer, Finance Chair, and Board Member of Future Problem Solving, our parent organization based in Melbourne, Florida.

He previously served as Treasurer for three non-profit organizations: Palo Alto Partners in Education (2009-2012); Palo Alto Little League (2005-2008); and Earthplace, a Connecticut pre-school and nature preserve, (2001-2004).

He is a private investor and previously worked as a Principal in private equity in New York City and before that at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC.

Future Problem Solving California

2025 California State Finals Winners

GLOBAL ISSUES – TEAM

Junior
1st Place  – *
2nd Place –  *
3rd Place  – 

Middle
1st Place  –  *
2nd Place –  *
3rd Place  – 

Senior
1st Place  –  *
2nd Place –  *
3rd Place  –  

GLOBAL ISSUES – INDIVIDUAL

Junior
1st Place  –  *
2nd Place –  *
3rd Place  –  *

Middle
1st Place  –  *
2nd Place –  *
3rd Place  –  *

Senior
1st Place  –  *
2nd Place – *
3rd Place  –  *

GLOBAL ISSUES – SKITS

Junior
1st Place  –  
2nd Place – 
3rd Place  – 

Middle
1st Place  –  
2nd Place –  
3rd Place  –  
Senior
1st Place  – 
2nd Place – 
3rd Place  – 

COMMUNITY PROJECTS – TEAM

Middle
1st Place  – *
Senior
1st Place  – *
2nd Place – 

COMMUNITY PROJECTS – INDIVIDUAL

Junior
1st Place  –  *
Middle
1st Place  –  *
Senior
1st Place  –  *

CREATIVE WRITING

Junior
1st Place  –  *
2nd Place – 

3rd Place  – 
Middle
1st Place  – 
Senior
1st Place  – 
2nd Place – 
3rd Place  – 

STORYTELLING

Junior
1st Place  –  *
Middle
1st Place  –  *
2nd Place –  *
3rd Place  – 
Senior
1st Place  –  *
2nd Place –  *
3rd Place  – 

Future Problem Solving California

2025 World Finals Winners

Global Issues – Team

4th Place Middle – Maddie, Kathy, Feifei, Sophia (Canyon Crest Academy, Torrey Pines High School, La Jolla Country Day School)
9th Place Senior – Bailey, Ryan, Calvin, Nolan (Del Norte High School, Canyon Crest Academy)

Global Issues – Individual

2nd Place Junior – Brian (Sage Canyon School)
2nd Place Middle – Meera (Canyon Crest Academy)
5th Place Senior – Lucile (The Nueva School)

Global Issues – Action Plan Presentation

1st Place Senior – Bailey, Ryan, Nolan, Calvin, Sean (Del Norte High School, Canyon Crest Academy)

Global Issues – MAGIC

1st Place Middle – Edith with teammates from Florida, Kentucky, Washington)
2nd Place Senior– Yuva (Del Norte High School) with teammates from New Jersey, New Zealand, Washington)
3rd Place Senior – Colin (The Nueva School) with teammates from Kentucky, New Zealand, Washington)

Community Projects 

4th Place Senior – Life of Laughter – Bailey, Ryan, Emily, Sean (Torrey Pines High School, Del Norte High School, Canyon Crest Academy) 

Future Problem Solving California

2026 California State Finals Winners

GLOBAL ISSUES – TEAM
Junior
1st Place  – Miles, Lily, Diego, Jack (St. Anne School) *
2nd Place – Adelise, Olivia, Gowri (Design39Campus, The Bishop’s School, Oak Valley Middle School) *
3rd Place  – Ameya, Aria, Jocelyn, Nia (The Harker School) 
Middle
1st Place  – Aanya, Eesha, Jessica, Tanya (The Harker School) *
2nd Place – Allison, Eva, Lumi (The Nueva School) *
3rd Place  – Ayansh, Brian, London, Will (Pacific Trails Middle School, Carmel Valley Middle School, Del Norte High School) 
Senior
1st Place  – Aarav, Calvin, Ryan, Yuva (Canyon Crest Academy, Del Norte High School) *
2nd Place – Akhil, Bailey, Emily, Sophia (Canyon Crest Academy, Del Norte High School, Torrey Pines High School) *
3rd Place  – Colin, Lucile, Sierra (The Nueva School) 

GLOBAL ISSUES – INDIVIDUAL
Junior
1st Place  – Sienna C. (Community Roots Academy) *
2nd Place – Olivia M. (The Bishop’s School) *
3rd Place  – Benjamin S. (Sycamore Ridge Elementary School) *
Middle
1st Place  – Arush S. (The Harker School) *
2nd Place – Eric C. (Pacific Trails Middle School) *
3rd Place  – Paul A. (William Annin Middle School) *
Senior
1st Place  – Bailey L. (Del Norte High School) *
2nd Place – Calvin Y. (Canyon Crest Academy) *
3rd Place  – Meera P. (Canyon Crest Academy) *

GLOBAL ISSUES – SKITS
Junior
1st Place  – Annalise, Brody, Jude, Mia (St. Anne School) 
2nd Place – Sofia, Zoe, Levi, Lucas (St. Anne School) 
3rd Place  – Nikkie, Luciana, Hasanya, Adeline (St. Anne School) 
Middle
1st Place  – Aditlya, Adityaa, Advay, Jay (The Harker School) 
2nd Place – Arush, Olivia, Tvisha, Ushnish (The Harker School) 
3rd Place  – Ananya, Katelyn, Madeline, Pracheth (Design39Campus, Del Norte High School, La Jolla Country Day, Oak Valley Middle School) 
Senior
1st Place  – Akhil, Bailey, Emily, Sophia (Canyon Crest Academy, Del Norte High School, Torrey Pines High School) 
2nd Place – Anirudh, Leana, Nirav, Pratulya (The Harker School) 
3rd Place  – Feifei, Maddie, Meera, Riley (Canyon Crest Academy, Torrey Pines High School) 

COMMUNITY PROJECTS – TEAM
Middle
1st Place  – Wyatt, Ben, Liam, Zosia, Olivia, Bayleigh, Clayton, Jack, Rhett, Cali, Sophie (Palm Desert Charter Middle School) Project True View *
Senior
1st Place  – Meera, Feifei, Maddie, Shashwati, Riley (Canyon Crest Academy, Torrey Pines High School) Project Dine*
2nd Place – Grace, Elaine (The Harker School) Project The Art of Wellbeing

COMMUNITY PROJECTS – INDIVIDUAL
Junior
1st Place  – Aashi S. (Nohl Canyon Elementary School) Project VIBE *
Middle
1st Place  – Emi A. (William Hopkins Middle School) Project Bridge *
Senior
1st Place  – Neev G. (The Harker School) Project BuddyBridge *

CREATIVE WRITING
Junior
1st Place  – Alexandra S. (R .E. Willett Elementary School) “Unshackled” *
2nd Place – Olivia M. (The Bishop’s School) “Finding the Border”
3rd Place  – Lily K. (St. Anne School) “Untitled”
Middle
1st Place  – Lucy W. (The Harker School) “Unplugged” *
2nd Place – Ushnish C. (The Harker School) “Unit 087”
3rd Place  – London B. (Pacific Trails Middle School) “Human After All”
Senior
1st Place  – Kathy X. (Torrey Pines High School) “A Unifying Wobble”
2nd Place – Emily C. (Torrey Pines High School) “The Living Eye”
3rd Place  – Nasia L. (Acaciawood Preparatory Academy) “Your Name is Riko”
3rd Place  – Sidharth S. (Canyon Crest Academy) “The Probability of Guilt”

STORYTELLING
Junior
1st Place  – Gowri H. (Oak Valley Middle School) *
Middle
1st Place  – Amey A. (Hillview Middle School) *
2nd Place – Eric C. (Pacific Trails Middle School) *
3rd Place  – Ananya R. (Oak Valley Middle School) 
Senior
1st Place  – Ryan S. (Canyon Crest Academy) *
2nd Place – Sidharth S. (Canyon Crest Academy) *
3rd Place  – Emily C. (Torrey Pines High School)

Future Problem Solving California

2026 World Finals Winners

Global Issues – Team

9th Place Junior – Isabella, Kyla, Adelise, Olivia (Stone Ranch Elementary, The Bishop’s School, Design39 Campus)
8th Place Middle – Eva, Allison, Lumi (The Nueva School)
9th Place Senior – Aarav, Yuva, Ryan, Calvin (Del Norte High School, Canyon Crest Academy)

Global Issues – Individual
7th Place Junior – Sienna (Community Roots Academy)
5th Place Middle – Eric (Pacific Trails Middle School)

Global Issues – Action Plan Presentation
1st Place Junior – Isabella, Kyla, Adelise, Olivia (Stone Ranch Elementary, The Bishop’s School, Design39 Campus)
3rd Place Middle – Aanya, Jessica, Tanya, Eesha, Arush (The Harker School)

Global Issues – MAGIC

1st Place Senior – Maithili (The Harker School) with teammates from Missouri, New Zealand, Texas
Community Projects 
4th Place Senior – Project DINE – Riley, Meera, Maddie, Feifei (Torrey Pines High School, Canyon Crest Academy) 

Creative Writing
5th Place Middle – Lucy (The Harker School)

Storytelling
3rd Place Junior – Gowri (Oak Valley Middle School)
2nd Place Senior – Ryan (Canyon Crest Academy)