The eighth-grade Future City team from J.M. Alexander Middle recently won the North Carolina Future City Competition at N.C. State University in Raleigh, earning $1,000 to be split between them and their school.

Their alternative-energy-powered future city of Mahali Kuwa, South Africa, came in first among more than two dozen competitors. The team now advances to national finals Feb. 17-22 in Washington, D.C., competing against 36 other regional winners from across the country.

The objective was to design a method of providing electricity using an energy source that does not deplete natural resources and has limited impact on the environment. Students had to consider safety, cost, efficiency, and appearance. Each team had to create a computer simulation of their city and a table-top model.

They also submitted essays explaining how their cities fit the theme defended their cities before judges.

The team: Raniah Jeanlys, Erik Thorsheim, Allison Law, Ian Ruppenthal, Caleb Readling, Austin Holmes and Peter Park.