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10 Gen Z Student Teams Present Solutions for Social & Environmental Challenges
4/29/2024
Students from Brandywine High School, DE
Samsung Electronics America hosted the final round of its 14th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition at Samsung DC in the heart of our nation’s capital. The STEM competition will be livestreamed on this page on the following dates and times:
- National Finalists Pitch Event: Monday, April 29, 10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. ET (pitch session #1) & 12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. ET (pitch session #2)
- National Winners Reveal Event: Tuesday, April 30, 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ET
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is a national competition designed to empower students in grades 6-12 to leverage the power of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) to create innovative solutions addressing critical issues in their local communities. The competition empowers public middle and high school students to catalyze change by applying Problem-based Learning (PBL) principles, environmental stewardship, and social impact entrepreneurship to address some of society’s most pressing challenges.
Monday, April 29: National Finalists Pitch Event
Representing the very best of this year’s competition entrants, 10 National Finalists from public middle and high schools in Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Wyoming will present their innovative STEM solutions at a live pitch event today, April 29 to a panel of judges. These Gen Z student teams have developed game-changing approaches to address accessibility for mobility-impaired individuals, youth suicide prevention, Indigenous language preservation, urban waste management, inclusive board games for special needs children, health threats from water contaminants, and more.
Later this afternoon, Samsung employees will name one student team this year’s Employee Choice Winner from the 10 National Finalists. That honor earns the winning school an added $10,000 in prizes on top of their National Finalist winnings. Samsung will also select one school from the 50 State Winners for the new Rising Entrepreneurship Award, receiving a $25,000 prize package to foster the development of a scalable, sustainable venture that will extend beyond the competition.
Tuesday, April 30: National Winners Reveal Event
Tomorrow, Samsung Electronics America CMO Allison Robl Stransky will host an accessibility panel discussion featuring distinguished guests, U.S. Paralympic Bronze Medalist Anna Johannes and CTA Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs Rachel Sanford Nemeth. With approximately 1.3 billion people worldwide experiencing significant disabilities, the imperative for inclusive design has never been more crucial – and two student-led STEM solutions presented on the 29th directly tackle improving accessibility.
Following the panel, Members of Congress who have shown outstanding commitment to promoting STEM initiatives in their respective states will be pleasantly surprised with STEM Champion Awards from Samsung as a token of recognition for their efforts.
Students from CY Middle School, WY
Then, three schools will be declared National Winners, receiving $100,000 in Samsung technology and supplies for their classrooms. The remaining seven National Finalist schools will each be awarded a $50,000 prize package.
Moreover, two additional honors will be awarded:
- One of the 50 State Winners will be honored as a climate visionary with a Sustainability Innovation Award for driving sustainable change through STEM innovation, and receive an additional $50,000 prize package that includes Samsung ENERGY STAR® technology.
- Of the 10 National Finalists, one school that was selected through online public voting will be named Community Choice Winner, earning a $10,000 prize package in addition to their National Finalist winnings.
Tune in!
