Class Challenge
Project Ideas For The Samsung ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ Contest Due October 23
It’s never too late to come up with a good idea. But as far as the Samsung “Solve for Tomorrow” contest, leaders are concerned, the clock is ticking.
Teachers have only one week remaining to submit their STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) project idea to address a local issue in the $3 million Samsung “Solve for Tomorrow” contest. Now in its 10th year, this national competition asks 6th through 12th grade classrooms from every state to solve a challenge, showing students their own potential for positive impact in their world by using hands-on STEM skills.
Public school teachers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia are eligible to nominate their classrooms and open doors to new opportunities. The brief online entry form requires teachers to answer two simple questions: (1) what is the biggest problem, challenge or issue faced by your school community that you will tackle for your “Solve for Tomorrow” project, and (2) how can STEM be applied to address this problem, challenge or issue.
Past submissions have addressed issues ranging from school safety to pedestrian fatalities and healthcare access. Whatever the topic may be, it always starts with an idea. Details on how the project will be executed are not required at this phase.
For the 10th annual “Solve for Tomorrow” contest, Samsung is increasing the prize pool by an additional $1 million, awarding a total of $3 million in technology and classroom materials, over each phase of the contest. Additionally, the contest is rewarding even more schools, increasing the pool to 300 total classrooms who have an opportunity at the grand prize. Details of this year’s contest process include:
300 state finalist schools from the pool of applicants will be awarded a Samsung tablet for their classroom. From there, each teacher will submit an activity plan detailing the program execution.
100 state winner schools will advance in the contest and receive $15,000 in technology and classroom materials as well as a video kit to help showcase their project.
20 national finalist schools will be selected to travel to the final event where they will present their project to a panel of judges. For achieving national finalist status, 15 of these schools will be awarded $50,000 in technology and classroom materials while the remaining five will be named national grand prize winners. Public voting will also determine one Community Choice winner, who will be eligible to win an additional $10,000 in Samsung technology.
Five national grand prize-winning schools will each receive $100,000 in technology and classroom materials.
Since its inception in 2009, the Samsung “Solve for Tomorrow” contest has provided nearly $15 million in Samsung technology and supplies to public schools in the United States. To enter the contest, and for contest rules, please click here, “Solve for Tomorrow” The deadline to submit is 11:59 p.m. ET on October 23, 2019.
