Three Schools Named National Winners in
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM Competition for Using AI, 3D
Printing & Robotics to Address Community Challenges, Each
Winning $100K in Prizes
Today, Samsung Electronics America named the three
National Winners in the 14th annual Samsung Solve for
Tomorrow competition. The competition challenges public school
students in grades 6-12 to apply science, technology, engineering,
and math (STEM) skills to address pressing local issues and create
positive change within their communities. The National Winners are
Brandywine High School from Wilmington, DE; Hoover High
School from Hoover, AL; and Princeton High School from
Princeton, NJ, as announced by Samsung Electronics America
President and CEO KS Choi at a celebration held at the
Samsung DC office.
Every year, Solve for Tomorrow awards more than $2 million in
Samsung technology and classroom supplies to participating public
schools throughout the U.S. The National Winners, selected from the
10 National Finalists, each received a prize package worth
$100,000, while the remaining seven National Finalists were awarded
$50,000 packages. Four additional Solve for Tomorrow awards were
presented to the Gen Z student teams.
Bipartisan Leaders Rally for STEM Education
Three members of Congress participated in the ceremony,
championing the students’ community solutions, and displaying
refreshing bipartisan support for STEM education: Senator Amy
Klobuchar (D-MN), Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-CA), and
Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE). These
distinguished lawmakers were also honored with STEM Champion
Awards from Samsung in recognition of their efforts to advance
STEM pursuits in their states.
Panel Explores the Intersection of Technology, Accessibility
& Inclusive Design
Expanding on the accessibility theme prevalent in some of the
students’ STEM solutions, Samsung Electronics America CMO
Allison Stransky hosted a discussion about inclusive design
featuring distinguished guests Anna Johannes, U.S.
Paralympic Bronze Medalist and Inclusive Design Strategist at
Interbrand, and Rachel Sanford Nemeth, CTA Senior Director
of Regulatory Affairs. The session underscores Samsung’s belief
that with approximately 1.3 billion people worldwide experiencing
significant disabilities, the imperative for inclusive design has
never been more crucial.
Students & Teachers Joined by Other Notable Guest
Speakers & Judges
Joining Choi, the government officials, and the panelists were
guest speakers Mark Lippert, Executive Vice President of
Public Affairs at Samsung Electronics North America; Alix
Guerrier, CEO of DonorsChoose – a longtime Samsung Solve
for Tomorrow nonprofit partner; Ryan Harper, Deputy Chief of
Staff, White House National Security Council; Meghan
Conklin, Chief Sustainability Officer to Maryland Governor Wes
Moore; Kevin O'Hanlon, Senior Director, Government
Relations, Samsung Electronics America; and Rameen Rana,
Investor, Samsung Next. Additionally, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow
competition judges included Gene Irisari, Vice President,
Public Affairs and Head of Semiconductor Policy, Samsung
Electronics America; Dan Kaufman, Director, U.S. Program
Policy and Communications, Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation; Kevin Lay, Samsung Solve for
Tomorrow-winning alum and Lead Physics Instructor, Allen D. Nease
High School (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL); Sukhmani Mohta, Vice
President, Chief Marketing and Partnerships Officer, Display,
Samsung Electronics America; and Rupa Shah, Board Member,
App Inventor Foundation.
“Samsung Solve for Tomorrow provides a unique window into the
issues that concern Gen Z, as well as the empathy, dedication, and
sheer brilliance they bring to addressing them,” said Ann
Woo, Head of Corporate Citizenship, Samsung Electronics
America. “I know our judges faced tough choices in picking just
three of ten extraordinary solutions to community issues. While the
National Winners’ innovations carried the day – equally important
were the common threads of compassion, inclusivity, and
problem-solving skills displayed in all ten National Finalist
pitches.”
Introducing the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2023-2024 National
Winners
The three National Winning Gen Z student teams showcased a
forward-looking approach to problem-solving through STEM. Their
solutions incorporated emerging technology like artificial
intelligence (AI), 3D printing, and robotics.
School
City/State
Community Issue & STEM
Solution
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 using printed circuit boards,
microcontrolers, LED lights, and 3D printing aimed at assisting
SPED students in forming enduring connections with their peers. |
https://youtu.be/gXUcTDaReQo
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
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
In addition to the National Winners, four other honors were
awarded:
NEW Rising Entrepreneurship Award:
From the 50 State Winners, one school was selected for the
Rising Entrepreneurship Award, receiving a $25,000 prize to develop
a sustainable venture extending beyond the competition.
Brandywine High School
Wilmington, DE
ACCESSIBILITY: [See project
description above.]
Sustainability Innovation Award
Winner: One of the 50 State Winners was honored with a
Sustainability Innovation Award for driving sustainable change
through STEM, receiving an additional $50,000 prize package
including Samsung ENERGY STAR® technology.
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
Community Choice Winner: The public
voted online for one Community Choice Winner from the 10 National
Finalists, presenting the winning school with an added $10,000
prize package.
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
Employee Choice Winner: Samsung
employees selected one Employee Choice Winner from the 10 National
Finalists, awarding the winning school an additional $10,000 in
prizes.
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
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 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, please visit
www.samsung.com/solve or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Applications for the 2024-2025 national STEM competition will open
in August.
*$2 million prize is based on an estimated retail value.
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Media Contact Sharon Oh sharon@relev8.co