Wisconsin's Technical Colleges Futurefest
Grand Prize Winners Announced
Three student winners awarded cash prizes for their creative videos of the future
MADISON – A new art movement. Long-range thermo-electric vehicles. Neuromarketing. Household robots. These are just some of the ideas that Wisconsin Technical College students imagined as part of the future – and already, ideas like these have changed the lives of three Wisconsin Technical College students.
The creative Wisconsin Technical College students accepted awards in Madison last night as the grand prize winners of the "Futurefest Ideas Competition." The competition honors the creative spirit of Wisconsin’s Technical College students, the educators who mentor them and the culture of originality thriving at technical college campuses across Wisconsin. Award winners were:
First Place ($5,000)
Justin Westover, Mid-State Technical College, We Are Futuremakers.
Second Place ($2,500)
Marcus Lanter, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Inspired by the Future.
Third Place ($1,000)
Laura Doan & Medical Assistant Club, Northcentral Technical College, Futuremakers.
The three students participated by each entering a three-minute video describing and demonstrating their unique visions of the future at school, home, travel or play. Forty-five entries were submitted from technical college students around the state and judges at each college selected one semifinalist per college. These semifinalists then competed for the three grand prizes.
Top prize earner Justin Westover entered the competition as part of a marketing class requirement. "I was shocked. This all started out as just another assignment that I enjoyed doing and suddenly, I’m a state finalist," said Westover. "It looks like it paid off." Westover said he plans to put his prize money into savings.
"It feels great that my hard work is being recognized," said second place finisher Marcus Lanter, who is also studying marketing. "At the time I was notified about the contest, I had been giving a lot of thought about my future career direction. I thought it would be easy enough to transfer my thoughts into video," Lanter said.
"Technical college students routinely exhibit impressive creativity and originality," said Dan Clancy, president of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). "This competition has been an excellent opportunity for us to highlight those abilities and talents."
The competition was sponsored by Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) of Wisconsin Apprenticeship & Training Trust and the Foundations of Fox Valley Technical College, Gateway Technical College, Blackhawk Technical College and Wisconsin Technical College System. All videos can be viewed at www.wearefuturemakers.com/futurefest under Video Gallery.
The Wisconsin Technical College System has 16 technical college districts throughout Wisconsin, which offer more than 300 programs awarding two-year associate degrees, one- and two-year technical diplomas and short-term technical diplomas. In addition, the System is the major provider of customized training and technical assistance to Wisconsin’s business and industry community. More than half of all adults in Wisconsin have accessed the technical colleges for education and training in the last decade.
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