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Ten Schools Named National Finalists in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM Competition
Gen Z Students Tackle Community Issues like Accessibility, Public Health, Indigenous Language Preservation & More with AI, 3D Printing & Robotics
3/26/2024
Samsung Electronics America today named the 10 National Finalist schools advancing in the 14th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition. Each National Finalist, selected from among this year’s 50 State Winners, will receive a prize package of $50,000 in Samsung technology and classroom supplies.
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow challenges public school students in grades 6-12 to create positive change in their communities by using science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills to solve pressing local issues. The Finalist teams, composed of Gen Z innovators, will now move forward to present their STEM projects addressing such issues as urban waste management, inclusive board games for special needs children, and health threats from water contaminants at a live pitch event on April 29, 2024 to a panel of judges at the Samsung Solutions Center in Washington, D.C. On April 30, 2024, three schools will then be chosen as National Winners, each receiving $100,000 in prizes.
“Samsung Solve for Tomorrow opens students’ eyes to real and relatable local issues, challenging them to use STEM in innovative ways to address those problems and catalyze positive change,” said Ann Woo, Head of Corporate Citizenship, Samsung Electronics America. “This year has been incredibly inspiring to see our National Finalists, and frankly all participating schools that entered, apply empathy, problem-solving skills, and cutting-edge tech like artificial intelligence, 3D printing, and robotics to address concerns like accessibility for mobility-impaired individuals, youth suicide prevention, and the preservation of endangered Indigenous languages.”
Harvest Preparatory Academy, AZ
Community Choice voting starts NOW
The 50 Solve for Tomorrow State Winners highlighted their projects and proposed STEM solutions through three-minute videos. From these submissions, the National Finalists were chosen. Now until April 23, 2024, the public can vote online for the Community Choice Winner from the 10 National Finalists. The chosen project will receive an additional $10,000 prize package. To participate, watch each finalist’s video and submit your choice. You can vote once per day. Voting is open daily until 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 23, 2024.
Introducing the 10 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow National Finalists
“It’s remarkable to watch Solve for Tomorrow students thrive as they discover their identities and find ways to contribute positively to their communities. Witnessing how they channel their passion into impactful projects is an amazing experience we’re privileged to be part of,” Woo added. “These Gen Zers tell us that participating in the competition has empowered them to understand STEM’s potential, find their voice, connect with like-minded peers nationwide, and set themselves on the path to rewarding future careers.”
Stillwater Middle School, MN
School City/State Community Issue, STEM Solution Video
Hoover High School Hoover, AL ACCESSIBILITY: About 7.5 million Americans have neurological disorders affecting hand motor skills. Using CAD, 3D printing, and other tech, students have developed an affordable alternative for door opening that fits various door types, enhancing accessibility and inclusion.
https://youtu.be/o6yxct9hXuQ
Harvest Preparatory Academy Yuma, AZ FOOD SAFETY: Multiple E. coli outbreaks, including a significant 2019 incident traced to lettuce from Yuma, have affected many across America. Leveraging UVC light technology and 3D printing, students designed a salad bowl lid that sterilizes greens to prevent foodborne outbreaks.
https://youtu.be/8btGHvEK6xc
Brandywine High School Wilmington, DE ACCESSIBILITY: Over 7.3 million American children are enrolled in special education (SPED) programs and many struggle to engage meaningfully with peers. Brandywine created electronic board games aimed at assisting SPED students in forming enduring connections with their peers.
https://youtu.be/gXUcTDaReQo
Wilton Community Schools Wilton, IA AGRICULTURE SAFETY: The average American farmer is 57.5 years old. Climbing grain bins for level checks poses significant safety risks to farmers due to slippery ladders and fall hazards. Wilton students have devised a solution to climbing grain bins utilizing LED-colored light bars and pressure sensors that enhances safety, efficiency, and access for all producers.
https://youtu.be/8zQ6cmDLjC0
West Minico Middle School Paul, ID MENTAL HEALTH: Suicide is a serious public health crisis. Idaho has the 12th highest suicide rate among the states in our nation. Alarmingly, 22% of Idaho youth have considered suicide. West Minico students plan to tackle this crisis through "Hope Notes," a 3D-printed dispenser to be placed in all schools, offering uplifting messages to those struggling.
https://youtu.be/mhVgnX2hxMU
Green Street Academy High School Baltimore, MD URBAN WASTE: Trash poses a significant problem for cities across the U.S., including Baltimore. Students are tackling the trash problem by repurposing Sargassum seaweed to reduce reliance on paper and plastic by creating eco-friendly alternatives. By utilizing waste to prevent environmental hazards, their project not only combats deforestation but also improves air quality.
https://youtu.be/suTIB4OpSow
Stillwater Middle School Stillwater, MN LIGHT POLLUTION: Light pollution threatens the migration of over 250 bird species along the St. Croix River. Stillwater students created outdoor bird-friendly lights shaped like flowers. These lights are downward-facing, and the petals incorporate robotics to open and close based on the time of day. They used bulbs that utilize bioluminescence, producing less light than LED bulbs while still ensuring pedestrian safety.
https://youtu.be/DDP8gXWVoGs
Princeton High School Princeton, NJ ENDANGERED INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES: 50% of the 6000 languages spoken worldwide are currently at risk of extinction. To safeguard endangered Indigenous languages, students developed Che'w, an AI-powered robotic stuffed animal, which speaks Mam – a Mayan language spoken by a small population of PHS students – and other Indigenous languages. This novel approach to language education, leverages tech to bridge linguistic gaps and empower Indigenous communities.
https://youtu.be/8WcMF7hgNyU
Pineville Middle School Pineville, WV PUBLIC HEALTH: West Virginia ranks first in the nation for its prevalence of poor physical health, plagued by obesity, heart problems, and cancer. When tests revealed unsafe levels of haloacetic acid and trihalomethanes in their drinking water, Pineville students took a STEM-based approach to create inexpensive, locally sourced water filters. Utilizing recycled bottles, 3D printed fittings, and charcoal granules, the low-cost biomass-based carbon filters ensure safe drinking water for their community.
https://youtu.be/zqV-IcrVgrg
CY Middle School Casper, WY FOOD WASTE: Food waste isn't just a social or humanitarian concern—it's an environmental one. Meanwhile, in Wyoming cold temperatures demand high heating fuel usage. CY Middle School students devised a way to dehydrate and compress food waste into fuel pellets, offering an alternative to fossil fuels while reducing landfill burden. Repurposing food waste into marketable fuel potentially creates a social entrepreneurship avenue to support community food banks.
https://youtu.be/b0Akv0iGzaQ
Up next in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition:
- The 10 National Finalists will head to a live Pitch Event on April 29 in Washington, D.C. On April 30, judges will then select three National Winners, who will each receive a $100,000 prize package. The remaining seven National Finalist schools will be awarded $50,000 in Samsung technology and classroom supplies.
- 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 an additional $50,000 prize package that includes Samsung ENERGY STAR® technology.
- From the 50 State Winners, one school will be selected 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.
- Of the 10 National Finalists, a Community Choice Winner will be selected through online voting by the general public, receiving a $10,000 prize package in addition to their National Finalist
- 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
Princeton High School, NJ
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow launched in 2010 as a way to boost interest, proficiency, and diversity in STEM. The education-based citizenship program has become a catalyst for a change in the perception of STEM, a crucial aspect in fostering a skilled future workforce and informed citizens of the modern world. To date, Solve for Tomorrow has awarded more than $27 million in Samsung technology and classroom supplies to 4,000-plus public schools across the United States.
To learn more about the national STEM competition, please visit www.samsung.com/solve or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
