GRAND FORKS – Community High School has been named one of four North Dakota public schools that have qualified as state finalists for the 15th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM national competition. (STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, mathematics.)
Community High School is among 300 middle and high schools nationwide that were selected by Samsung for the competition. Each state finalist wins a $2,500 technology prize pack for their school, according to Samsung’s announcement.
The state winners are expected to be announced in late January. Three national winners will be named in the spring; each will receive a $100,000 prize package, part of a prize pool totaling more than $2 million.
This year’s entries revealed common concerns among students nationwide, such as the climate crisis, mental health and wellness, and school safety. The majority of the students’ STEM solutions, 60%, use emerging technologies, such as AI, 3D printing and robotics to drive meaningful community change.
At Community High School, leaders Sara Tezel and Emily Johnson, English and science teachers, respectively, brainstormed two project proposals with their students to submit to the competition.
One involves the use of the 360 video camera, with goggles, to capture scenes or activities to give nursing home residents immersive experiences that interest them or that they miss since moving into the facility.
The other involves developing a biodegradable food container to reduce the amount of waste that is generated by food trucks. With discarded egg cartons, students created a pulp using a non-toxic glue to form “food baskets or trays” that break down in the trash, Johnson said. They are infused with flower or vegetable seeds so they could be planted in soil and “produce flowers in the process.”
Two years ago, Community High School was named a state finalist for a project that aimed to create an affordable hydroponics system made from recycled materials, Tezel said.
The Samsung “Solve for Tomorrow” national competition is designed to empower students in grades 6-12 to “unleash the power of STEM to create innovative solutions addressing critical issues in their local communities,” according to the announcement.
The competition motivates students in active, hands-on learning that can be applied to real-world problems, making STEM more tangible and showcasing its value both in and outside of the classroom. They can affect positive change by applying problem-based learning principles, environmental stewardship and social impact entrepreneurship to tackle some of society’s most pressing challenges.
Of the thousands of entries Samsung received for this competition, from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, more than one-third were from middle schools and 60% were from Title 1 schools, confirming STEM education’s broad appeal, according to the corporation’s announcement. Title 1 schools receive federal funding to help low-income families, in an attempt to close educational achievement gaps.
The other schools named as North Dakota state finalists are: Davies High School, Fargo; Stanley (North Dakota) High School; and Sheyenne Valley Area Career and Technology Center, Valley City.
There were no Minnesota state finalists in the Obituary’s readership area.