Harwood Union and Crossett Brook Middle Schools are among the five Vermont schools (and 300 nationwide) that Samsung named as state finalists in the 15th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition. Each state finalist will win a $2,500 technology prize pack for their school.
The Vermont state finalists are:
- Barre Elementary and Middle School in Barre, VT.
- Burlington High School in Burlington, VT.
- Crossett Brook Middle School in Duxbury, VT.
- Harwood Union Middle School in Moretown, VT.
- Hazen Union High School in Newport, VT.
Following the state finalist’s announcement, the competition advances to its next phase, culminating in April with the selection of three national winners, each receiving a $100,000 prize package – part of a $2 million-plus prize pool.
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is a national competition designed to empower students in grades six through 12 to use STEM to address critical issues in their communities. The competition engages these Gen Z and Gen Alpha 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.
- 300 state finalists were chosen from thousands of U.S. entries, with 60% from Title 1 schools, showcasing STEM education’s broad appeal.
- This year’s entries highlight common student concerns nationwide: the climate crisis, mental health and wellness, and school safety.
- 60% of the students’ STEM solutions use emerging technologies like AI, 3D printing, and robotics to drive meaningful community change.
The 300 state finalists were selected from thousands of applications across all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Nearly three-quarters of entries came from teachers new to the Solve for Tomorrow competition; more than a third were from middle schools; and 60% represented Title 1 institutions – highlighting the widespread interest among educators and students in harnessing STEM’s power to promote the common good, beyond the perception of STEM as a field limited to elite or privileged communities. This diversity also underscores Samsung’s commitment to advancing equity in education.
Some impressive 33% of these projects focus on the climate crisis, taking on critical challenges like extreme weather events (hurricanes, floods, and wild fires), sustainable building materials to withstand damage, and alternative energy sources such as wind turbines, solar power, and kinetic energy. Mental health and wellness, particularly addressing the impacts of social media and stress, along with school safety, are also prominent themes among student projects.
Moreover, 60% of these solutions harness emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing, and robotics, showcasing how young innovators are leveraging cutting-edge tools to drive meaningful change. AI, in particular, plays a key role, with students applying it in health care for early cancer detection and health monitoring, enhancing accessibility for the visually impaired and improving language translation.
For the next phase of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition, teachers must create a focused activity plan. Plans must outline how students will execute their STEM project by defining the community problem, proposing a STEM-based solution, specifying objectives, detailing activities to reach their anticipated goals, and articulating the expected positive impact their solution will bring to the community. Activity plans are due Thursday, January 9, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST. Based on these activity plans, judges will select state winners, who will be revealed in March 2025.
