ADM Middle School is proud to announce that Braylon Whipps (Grade 8) and Jake Noring (Grade 7) were chosen as Grade 6–8 National Finalists in the 2024-2025 Future Creatures Challenge, an online STEM competition hosted by the education platform Future Engineers.
This national competition invites K-12 students to draw or digitally illustrate how a rainforest vertebrate might evolve in the distant future in response to rising temperatures, sea-level changes, and other climate-driven factors. Submissions are judged on scientific merit, creativity, visual presentation, and written explanation.
From entries submitted by students across the United States, Braylon’s “Yellow Caiman” design and Jake’s “Pygmy Ground Sloth” design were selected as finalists. Only four national finalists were chosen in the middle-school division; Braylon and Jake represent half of that group! Finalists each receive a Future Engineers T-shirt and a $25 Amazon gift card.
On May 20th, Braylon Whipps was named the Grades 6-8 National Grand-Prize Winner of the 2024-2025 Future Creatures Challenge! In his winning concept, Braylon predicted how the Amazon’s black caiman might evolve thousands of years from now as climate change turns its rainforest habitat into open savanna. His design features longer, muscular legs for land pursuit, non-webbed claws for traction, sun-reflecting tan scales, and hawk-like eyesight for spotting prey at a distance.
As the Grades 6-8 Champion, Braylon will receive a $100 Amazon gift card and he will have an endangered species adopted in his name through the World Wildlife Fund. Congratulations, Braylon!
Jake Noring’s “Pygmy Ground Sloth”
https://www.futureengineers.org/futurecreatures2024/gallery/79313
Braylon Whipp’s “Yellow Caiman”
https://www.futureengineers.org/futurecreatures2024/gallery/79311
Congratulations, Braylon and Jake!
