Can you envision a utopian society? Although not everything in the world is perfect, there are those who try and put forth a meaningful effort when it comes to solving the problems we see in our world today.
The opportunity to help solve the smallest, or even some of the biggest issues in the world, has been available to the student body around the Macomb area for the past ten years.

The Global Trade Mission hosts a competition at the Macomb Intermediate School District annually. Students gather into groups, pick an area of the world, find a problem with that area, and come up with a solution for that problem.

“My group targeted Asia,” junior Marissa Townsend said. “We focused on water pollution in India. Our product was like life straw, but bigger and better.”

At the end of two days, they give their presentation to professionals.

“My idea was rubber bumpers,” junior Zack Shoemaker said. “It would take the impact of the frame and cause less damage.”

Shoemaker went on to win the Resourcefulness award.

Senior Ivana Sontoro was rewarded one million fictitious dollars out of 175 Macomb County school participants from real world experts in one of the major room competitions.

“The real goal isn’t so much to win,” teacher Todd Koehn said. “It’s about helping to solve a realistic problem with a realistic solution. It’s about the experience; it stands out to some people.”