A little over a week ago, on Saturday, January 17, 2026, the annual Future Cities competition was held at the engineering school at the University of New Mexico (UNM). This year’s competition focused on the theme of “farm-to-table.”

24 teams made of 6th - 8th graders competed and for the second consecutive year the team from Mandela International Magnet School in Santa Fe took first place and will now be representing the state of New Mexico at the Nationals Competition in Washington, DC February 14-16.

Their winning design integrated forward looking technology, renewable energy systems designed to care for and renew the environment, and regenerative and progressive agricultural methodology. As part of the team’s research and one of the distinguishing parts of their project, the kids visited and met with some prominent and world-class farming institutions in Santa Fe, including Desert Verde aquaponics farm, the Controlled Environment Agriculture program at Santa Fe Community College, Synergia Ranch (creators of Biosphere 2) and Chelenzo Farms.

As the kids put it:

“This project represents months of hard work, late nights, problem-solving, and belief in our ideas about how cities of the future can better serve people and the planet. Advancing to nationals is a twice-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but getting there requires raising $15,000 to cover travel, lodging, materials, and registration costs. We are looking forward to proudly represent New Mexico on the national stage.”

As you may be aware, New Mexico consistently ranks at or near the bottom (50th or 51st, including D.C.) in nationwide education rankings and student proficiency metrics. Sadly, data from 2024 and 2025 indicates the state ranks last in reading and math for 4th and 8th graders.

Thus, as you might imagine this is an amazing opportunity to promote and support STEM education in and from New Mexico, and to showcase these brilliant young minds and their work in the fields of science, technology, engineering, math, environmental conservation and regenerative farming.