5 Schools Win $140,000 in Ed Tech
In August 2012, Samsung launched its nationwide Solve for Tomorrow contest, focused on generating excitement around science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education among public school students in the United States This week the company unveiled the five grand prize winners, chosen from 15 finalists selected in February. Grand prize winners include:
- Franklin High School, of Los Angeles, CA, won the Community Choice Award;
- The Samsung Employees Choice went to MS88/Peter Rouget Middle School of Brooklyn, NY;
- Forestview Middle School, Baxter, MN;
- Arrowhead Park Early College, Las Cruces, NM; and
- Leewood K-8 Center, Miami, FL.
The contest saw more than 1,600 entrants from around the country, beginning with an essay submission outlining how STEM education could help the environment in their community. 25 classrooms were selected as semi-finalists in each of three categories--urban, suburban, and rural--and awarded with video recording and editing equipment to film their response. From the 75 videos submitted, 15 were selected (five in each category) as finalists and awarded $40,000 in technology from Samsung, Adobe Foundation, and DirecTV.
Each of the grand prize winning schools will receive an additional $100,000 in technology, including smart boards, LED TVs, and laptops to support their individual STEM programs. The teams will be honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on April 17, and will also have the opportunity to host a community e-waste recycling day through the Samsung Recycling Direct program.
In a prepared statement, David Steel, executive vice president of corporate strategy of Samsung Electronics North America, congratulated both the 15 finalists and the five grand prize winners, commenting, "We hope that the challenge of this contest, together with the technology for winning schools, will help spark students' passion to pursue careers that help improve the world through STEM."
About the Author
Chris Riedel is a freelance writer based in Illinois. He can be reached here.