Samsung Launches Annual $2 Million Solve for Tomorrow Contest Engaging Virtual and In-Person Classrooms in STEM Education

Teachers can now apply to win a share of $2 million in technology and supplies for their schools.

Samsung today announced the launch of the 11^th annual $2 million¹ Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, which challenges students in grades 6–12 and their teachers to use STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) to tackle local issues of national importance. Now through December 13, 2020, public school teachers across the U.S. can apply² for this year’s program and submit their activity plans that enable students to create real-world change in their communities using problem-based learning.

As students and teachers continue to navigate a complex learning environment – whether virtual, in-person or a hybrid of both – Solve for Tomorrow provides a unique opportunity for teachers to bring their students together regardless of classroom format using problem-based learning and hands-on STEM skills. Solve for Tomorrow empowers thousands of students to create innovative solutions that transform communities as they address issues ranging from mental health and wildfire safety to sustainability and climate change.

“Teachers are the backbone of our education system and Samsung recognizes the challenges that today’s educators are facing. We are in awe of the resiliency of teachers and students who have adapted to a new learning environment, and we remain focused on encouraging unique ways for students to engage in hands-on STEM learning all across the country,” said Ann Woo, Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics America. “Over the last decade, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has enabled our youth to pave the way towards real, meaningful change. Now more than ever, it is imperative that we guide students on the value of STEM skills to solve the greatest issues impacting their local communities and we look forward to this year’s STEM innovations.”

Solve for Tomorrow will award $2 million* in technology and supplies to classrooms as they advance throughout the contest. After teachers submit their lesson plans, they have the opportunity to move forward through the following phases:

• Up to 100 Semi-Finalists from the pool of applicants will be awarded $10,000 to be redeemed on DonorsChoose.org
• 10 National Finalist Schools will be selected to participate in the virtual pitch event where they will present their project to a panel of judges. For achieving National Finalist status, seven of these schools will be awarded $50,000 in technology and supplies while the remaining three will be named National Grand Prize Winners.
• 3 National Grand Prize Winner schools will each receive $100,000 in classroom technology and supplies
• Public voting will also determine one Community Choice winner, who will be eligible to win an additional $10,000 in Samsung technology

To supplement the competition and provide additional resources to teachers, Samsung is offering two professional development opportunities through mindSpark Learning to equip educators with tools to apply for this year’s competition. Open to any teacher who registers for the contest, “Problem-Based Learning” foundations will introduce the framework and methodologies of project-based learning, as well as tools to navigate the Solve for Tomorrow submission in a virtual environment. The second two-part course will provide “Design Thinking” methodologies – also with special attention to virtual environments – and will be open to any teacher who starts the contest application.

“For seven years, participating in Solve for Tomorrow has helped expose my students to problem-based learning and demonstrate how STEM education can be applied to solve real, pressing issues. Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has become a cornerstone of my annual curriculum,” said Susan Flentie, member of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Teachers Academy.  “I am thankful for the resources and opportunities that this contest will now offer in the virtual environment, and I look forward to exploring the professional development resources as I enter the contest again this year.”

Anchored in Samsung’s guiding vision of ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People’, Solve for Tomorrow launched in 2010 to encourage innovative thinking, creative problem-solving and teamwork to address the most pressing issues impacting society. Today, the competition fosters critical thinking and creative problem solving, anchored in problem-based learning. For the past decade, Samsung has awarded $18 million in technology and classroom materials to more than 2,500 public schools in the United States.

To enter the contest, and for official contest rules, please visit samsung.com/solve. The deadline to submit is 11:59 p.m. ET on December 13, 2020.

[1] $2 million prize is based on an estimated retail value.

[2] Not open to the general public: No purchase necessary to enter or win. Open to employees at eligible schools in the fifty (50) United States/DC twenty one (21) years of age or older. To enter/official rules: visit www.Samsung.com/Solve to complete the application form.