Vermont Business Magazine Selected from a nationwide pool of applicants, Union-32 Middle & High School in Montpelier has been named one of 75 Semi-Finalists in the 11th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, a program that encourages 6th-12th grade students to solve real-world issues in their community using classroom skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
The Semi-Finalist schools were chosen based on their creative and strategic proposals to solve complicated issues that affect their communities by using STEM learning. Each Semi-Finalist school will receive $15,000 to be redeemed on DonorsChoose.org as well as a Samsung Galaxy Note20 to execute their project this school year, whether they are engaging in a virtual, in-person or hybrid teaching environment.
Teachers from the 75 Semi-Finalist schools will each record a video to showcase their project in hopes to advance through future phases of the contest to win additional prizes and educational opportunities.
“Students and teachers across the country, regardless of classroom format, are rising to the occasion to creatively use STEM to address some of the greatest issues impacting their generation, from social justice, to pandemic-related solutions,” said Ann Woo, Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics America. “These students are facing unchartered challenges with stoic determination and using creative problem-solving skills to succeed. We are proud to unveil the schools in this year’s Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest and look forward to seeing their proposed solutions and innovations come to life.”
Semi-Finalist and Details:
- Union-32 Middle & High School in Montpelier, Vermont
- Teacher Randy Brown and his high school students
Local Issue:
Local elementary schools in the school district have limited technology resources for teaching math and science.
Proposed Project:
Create customized software that elementary students and teachers can use in their classrooms.
- 10 National Finalist schools will be selected later this spring 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 $65,000 in technology and classroom materials while the remaining three will be named National Winners.
- Public voting will also determine two Community Choice winners from the pool of National Finalists, who will be eligible to win an additional $15,000 in Samsung technology
- Three National Winner schools will receive the grand prize of $130,000 in classroom technology and supplies for their achievement.
Source: Union-32 Middle & High School in Montpelier 1.14.2021