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Mission Cinderella
Because life is not always a fairy tale.
Melanie McMillan
Emma Suggs’ introduction to the Future
Problem Solving Program International
(FPSPI) came when she was a seventh grade
student in Deborah Morali’s Pathways class at
Germantown Middle School. The program’s
mission statement, according to their website,
is “To develop the ability of young people
globally to design and achieve positive futures
through problem solving using critical and
creative thinking.” Emma was a natural fit for
the program and has been involved ever since
that first encounter. FPSPI gives students the
opportunity to participate in global problem
solving and community solving projects, among
others, and Emma has participated in both, as
an individual and in a group. Her achievements
have taken her to multiple state, national and
international competitions, where she has won
numerous awards. Her highest honor to date
came at this year’s international competition
where she competed against students from
the U.S., New Zealand, Singapore, China,
and Turkey, and was crowned grand champion
for her project, Mission Cinderella.
Emma’s idea for Mission Cinderella came
last summer after she attended the FPSPI
national conference. She and her mom began
brainstorming ideas for a community
problem-solving project in which women
could help women. Emma had recently read
an article about the need for hygiene products
among homeless women and decided to meet
with Sandy Middleton and Kristina McCool
Hometown MADISON • 23