Crossett Brook, Harwood middle schools are state finalists in STEM competition
January 3, 2024 | By Lisa Scagliotti
Crossett Brook and Harwood Union middle schools are two of five Vermont schools named as state finalists in the 15th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition.
Samsung Electronics America selected 300 finalist schools from the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Each one wins $2,500 in technology prizes for their school.
The other Vermont finalist schools are Barre Elementary & Middle School, Burlington High School and Hazen Union High School in Newport, according to the company announcement.
The competition now advances to the next phase that leads to the selection in April of three national winners that will each receive a $100,000 prize package – part of a prize pool worth over $2 million.
Find the full list of state finalists here.
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is a national competition for students in grades 6-12 to devise innovative solutions addressing critical issues in their communities. The competition engages students in hands-on learning applied to real-world problems with the goals of making STEM (short for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) tangible for young learners and opening doors to future opportunities in STEM education and careers. It encourages students to consider environmental stewardship and social impact entrepreneurship as they look for ways to tackle challenges in today’s society.
The 300 finalist schools were chosen from thousands of entries with popular project themes being the climate crisis, mental health and wellness, and school safety. Competition officials also noted that 60% of the proposed solutions incorporated emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, 3D printing and robotics.
In announcing the state finalists, Samsung noted some trends in the competition’s participation this year:
Nearly three-quarters of entries came from classes with teachers new to the Solve for Tomorrow competition.
More than a third were from middle schools.
60% represented Title 1 institutions – schools receiving federal funding to support students from low-income families.
Salman Taufiq, Samsung’s director of corporate marketing, said the annual competition embodies Samsung’s “strategy, purpose, and values” since its beginning. “From our roots as a small television manufacturer in the 1960s to becoming a global technology leader, STEM has been part of our DNA. As we celebrate 15 years of Solve for Tomorrow, we are proud to continue our commitment to ensuring America’s students stay engaged in STEM education and pursue careers in this field.”
For the schools advancing in the competition, the next phase requires that teachers create a focused activity plan outlining how students will execute their STEM project by defining the community problem, proposing a STEM-based solution, specifying objectives, detailing activities to reach their anticipated goals, and articulating the expected positive impact their solution will bring to the community.
Those plans are due Jan. 9. Judges will review the plans to select state winners which will be announced in March. The state winners will receive a Samsung video kit to create their “pitch video” as they advance along with Samsung tech equipment worth $12,000.
Additional awards recognizing entrepreneurship and sustainability innovation will be made from the group of state winners. Ten national finalists will be picked from the group of 50 state winners. The finalists will have opportunities to win additional recognitions and prizes. Ultimately, three overall national winners will be chosen and each will receive a prize package worth $100,000.