FOUR pupils from Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh have achieved the highest score in the Institution of Civil Engineers’ (ICE) CityZen digital game.
Adam H, Sam Y, Cliff Z, and Emmanuel C – known as Team Sammmmm – were top scorers in the competition, designed to inspire young people to follow a civil engineering career path and is open to 16–18-year-old students across the UK.
The game is played over four weeks, with each week presenting a different civil engineering challenge in a virtual city. Scores are based on the decisions made and the impact on budget,sustainability, congestion, and citizen satisfaction.
Sam Y commented, “I really enjoyed competing in the competition and particularly enjoyed the incorporation of a gaming element to a real-life learning experience. My advice to help others to win at this fun game is to use your knowledge of the STEM disciplines to inform your decision making.
“In the future I will use what I have learned to help others and develop my own critical thinking and problem-solving skills as I progress in my professional career.”
Florence Chapman, teacher of design & technology and STEAM coordinator, said, “The pupils really enjoy working on the challenge. Not only does this project enrich the pupils’ understanding of the engineering discipline as a whole, it also helps to contextualize their learning by asking them to seek out problems in their local community that they could propose creative solutions to.
“The pupils are given a unique platform to explore their creativity and problem-solving skills, fostering a deeper understanding of infrastructure, sustainability and community development.
“By raising awareness of civil engineering in this fun and dynamic way, CityZen inspires the next generation to contribute meaningfully to shaping resilient sustainable and well-designed cities. We look forward to competing again next year!”
Séan Harris, ICE’s deputy director general and director of membership, added, “The CityZen Award judges and I were hugely impressed by the passion, creativity, and determination from this year’s entrants.
“Their imaginative solutions tackle pressing urban challenges and embody the innovative and collaborative ideals that define civil engineering. It’s clear they want a future that is more sustainable and resilient, and their ideas give me hope.
“Congratulations to the winners and every student who participated.”
