Initially launched in the U.S. as an essay competition in 2010, Solve for Tomorrow now operates in 68 countries — serving as a platform for youth around the world to collaborate on solutions for a better future.

Beginning in 2025, Solve for Tomorrow introduced global themes to the competition — starting with  Environmental Sustainability via Technology and Social Change Through Sports & Technology — further strengthening its role in addressing universal challenges through cross-border collaboration.

Samsung remains committed to increasing educational opportunities that build future-ready skills such as design thinking while addressing pressing community issues, including those related to the environment, sports and quality education. The company aims to expand support to turn students’ ideas into reality, empowering them to play an active role in shaping a brighter world.

Explore the 15-year journey of Samsung’s global CSR education program Solve for Tomorrow in the infographic below.

In recognition of International Volunteer Day, a UN-designated holiday observed annually on December 5, Samsung Newsroom is spotlighting four Samsung mentors from various countries who have devoted their time to the company’s meaningful CSR initiatives.

Outside-The-Box Thinking To Tackle Societal Problems

As the company’s international STEM competition, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow allows students to develop innovative projects that tackle challenges facing society — with one of the most prominent issues being climate change. Anna Buncler from Samsung Electronics Poland lent her expertise to help Solve for Tomorrow participants raise awareness for the environment through their projects.

“I love this program and recognize the value it brings to students’ lives, helping them broaden their perspectives and analyze the world around them,” she said.

Buncler was inspired by students’ proactivity and awareness of climate issues. “I remember there was this team of elementary school students that had an incredible commitment to building a greener future,” she shared.

Despite coming from a small town in southern Poland, Buncler’s group members demonstrated their eagerness to tackle global challenges. Initially, the team’s project aimed to highlight the importance of energy conservation by focusing on the power used to charge smartphones. Buncler encouraged the team to broaden the project’s scope after recognizing the potential for greater impact.

“Their original idea was brilliant as it explored how much energy is consumed when a phone is charged,” she stated. “Building on this foundation, I encouraged them to involve additional users and incorporate more creative thinking into the project.”

Following her advice, the team added an exercise component to the project, making it more interactive and captivating for users. As a result, the team successfully secured third place in the Solve for Tomorrow competition.

Buncler explained how Solve for Tomorrow gives young people the opportunity to use creative thinking to transform local communities and the world through their projects. “Programs such as Solve for Tomorrow enable young people to express themselves and their ideas, giving them the chance to lead meaningful change to create a better tomorrow,” she said.

Industry Insight Combined With Profound Causes

Vivek Kumar, Camera Software Development Lead at Samsung R&D India, brought extensive experience to the table through his involvement in the competition. With more than 12 years of expertise in diverse technology development, Kumar provided participants with a valuable opportunity to get real-world insights into the tech industry as they built their projects.

Kumar started as a jury member in the competition and helped shortlist top candidates, allowing him to engage with participants directly and share feedback firsthand. He explained how mentoring enabled him to be involved in various stages of the creative process from conducting regular progress check-ins and brainstorming sessions to troubleshooting technical hurdles. “Engaging with young minds was profoundly inspiring for me, as I was able to guide them throughout the entire process,” he explained.

Along the way, Kumar encountered many groups that were working to pursue meaningful change. His role mentoring Team Jalraaj was especially memorable as the group had an ambitious yet admirable goal — creating a low-cost water filtration system for rural communities in India. However, the scale of the project proved to be challenging. Kumar stepped in to offer guidance when the group faced technical obstacles.

“Although the team encountered some challenges along the way, mentors like me could intervene and help the team navigate effectively,” Kumar said.

While the students undoubtedly benefitted from the mentorship, Kumar emphasized how mentoring also enriched both his personal and professional life. “Acting as a guide throughout the Solve for Tomorrow competition was a valuable experience,” he said. “I observed firsthand how combining industry experience with youthful ingenuity and creativity can set the stage for transformative technical innovation.”

Lifting Students Up Through Guidance

Patricia Osorio, Smart TV Product Manager at Samsung Electronics Chile, celebrated her 11th year at the company by joining Solve for Tomorrow as a mentor.

Driven by her passion for volunteer programs, Osorio’s mission within Solve for Tomorrow was to instill confidence and resilience in young minds and allow them to reach their full potential. “My goal was to help students strengthen their confidence,” she said. “During my time participating in Solve for Tomorrow, I was able to observe a noticeable change in their thoughts and the way they carried themselves.”

Thanks to Osorio’s guidance, teams were able to hone their presentation skills and earn top spots in the competition. Witnessing their success and newfound confidence was a great source of pride for Osorio, and she reiterated the value of mentorship.

“I am thankful to all the participants for trusting and relying on us mentors. It was an incredible experience, and I encourage all my colleagues to participate,” she said. “While some may be hesitant to volunteer since our work is often hectic, mentoring is extremely fulfilling and a wonderful way to impact local communities directly.”

Setting Graduates Up for Success

Against the backdrop of a competitive national job market, Jinhyun Kim from the AI/Big Data Lab at Samsung’s Visual Display (VD) Business set out to help recent graduates in Korea feel set up for success. Through the Samsung Software Academy for Youth — the company’s software education program for young jobseekers — Kim worked to solve real problems faced by applicants.

Leveraging his background in programming, algorithm translations and lecturing, Kim provided his mentees with guidance and encouragement to navigate the job market. “Leading them toward their goals and seeing their accomplishments was very fulfilling,” he shared. “One of the most rewarding moments was when a mentee landed a job in the same department as me.”

Kim explained how mentoring helps cultivate shared knowledge, as both sides can learn from each other. “Receiving feedback from mentees about how I could help them grow has reaffirmed my commitment to mentoring,” he said. “I believe this kind of dialogue fosters a culture of continuous learning and growth.”

By sacrificing their time to mentor young people, these Samsung employees and many others are actively supporting the growth of the next generation.

Learn more about Samsung’s CSR initiatives in the links below.

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is a STEM-based (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) competition that encourages young minds to tackle social issues affecting their communities. Learn more at Samsung Solve for Tomorrow.

Samsung Innovation Campus provides information communications technology (ICT) education in areas such as AI, IoT, big data, coding and programming to youth who aspire to work in the tech industry. Learn more at Samsung Innovation Campus.

In recent years, Samsung has earned over ten awards — not for its products but for the transformative influence of its unique educational initiative, Solve for Tomorrow. This program encourages participants to apply STEM knowledge to address societal challenges and develop crucial skills such as teamwork, critical thinking and creativity. To celebrate this special milestone in Latin America, Samsung Newsroom is taking a moment to reflect on a decade of progress.

▲ Samsung Vietnam is recognized at the 15th Annual Global CSR & ESG Summit and Awards 2023.

Solve for Tomorrow began in the United States with a noble mission — to empower younger generations through STEM education. The program has expanded its horizons since 2010, reaching across borders and sparking the imaginations of children on a global scale.

As of 2022, more than 2.3 million students have participated in Solve for Tomorrow. This momentum is set to continue as Solve for Tomorrow strives to inspire curiosity, foster creative thinking and provide students with the necessary tools to tackle real-world challenges.

Voices of the Innovators of Tomorrow

The students of Solve for Tomorrow share a strong passion for STEM and goodwill to create positive change in society. With newfound knowledge and skills, they have made tangible differences in their communities and industries.

Victoria Stanisławska, a 17-year-old who was a runner-up in the inaugural Solve for Tomorrow competition in Poland, recently earned a place in Forbes’ “23 Women Worth Following in 2023” list. “My participation in Solve for Tomorrow inspired me to expand my knowledge about environmental protection and teamwork,” said Victoria as she reflected on her experience. “It was a great intellectual adventure with a valuable opportunity to acquire new skills.”

In Kazakhstan, Alikhan Madibekov attributes his true passion for science to the transformative impact of the competition on his community. He developed an online solution to involve the elderly in the digital space but narrowly missed the Solve for Tomorrow finals. Undeterred, he continued to innovate — leading to a series of achievements in youth psychology and astronomy for his STEM solutions. These accomplishments have earned him recognition from NASA and Rise, a collaborative initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust that is funded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. In addition, he founded the International Children’s Rights Club through UNICEF, a non-profit providing free psychological support to those who cannot afford it. “Thank you very much to Samsung for helping me reach my potential,” said Alikhan. “Solve for Tomorrow was the catalyst that pushed me forward.”

Driven by a deep connection with their local community, César Rodríguez, Gabriel Torres, Neitan Morales and Sebastián Quesada, accompanied by Professor Yamil Vega from Costa Rica, emerged as the 2022 Solve for Tomorrow champions in Latin America. Their winning project, Aquagraf, seeks to address regional water contamination issues and improve the well-being of their community. “Our mission is to make a meaningful impact on society. Solve for Tomorrow not only boosted our self-confidence but also ignited our passion for driving positive change within our community. It gave us the tools and a platform to turn our aspirations into reality,” shared the team. “We’re eager to see the various innovations that we and our peers develop to address the challenges facing our world and society.”

Education Knows No Borders

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow continues to evolve, both in terms of quality and quantity — expanding into Latin America in 2013 and strengthening its presence in the region for a decade.

On November 1, Samsung hosted an exciting event that brought together Solve for Tomorrow winners from various Latin American countries. This marked the inaugural continental Solve for Tomorrow event, where winners from 10 Latin American countries gathered to discuss their experiences. At the event, the 2016 Argentine champion Valentina Avetta shared her inspiring journey.

“While I was managing my diabetes with insulin, I had a lightbulb moment, conceiving the idea for a thermochromic sensor designed to safeguard biosynthetic insulin from harm,” she explained. “After winning Solve for Tomorrow, I had the opportunity to further develop this project into a university thesis.”

“We believe that the next generation of leaders will be the catalyst for a brighter future,” said Mario Laffitte, Vice President of Samsung Electronics Latin America. “It is our mission to empower young people who have the potential to solve the world’s problems.”

In 2024, the program will expand to other continents, fostering new levels of global collaboration.

Solve for Tomorrow had already left its mark in 20 countries by 2020. However, in less than a decade, the competition has experienced exponential growth globally. Today, the program operates in a total of 64 countries — with South Africa, the Netherlands and Indonesia joining the ranks in 2023.

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is not only remarkable in its scale but also in the rich educational experiences it offers. The initiative breathes life into engaging and inspiring activities for students, such as workshops, Design Thinking training and mentorship programs. These activities equip students with the knowledge and skills to tackle complex societal challenges through STEM solutions — transforming them from mere learners into proactive problem solvers addressing the issues facing society.

Among the various benefits, mentorship is recognized as the students’ favorite. Experts in the fields of design, tech and marketing actively engage with students through workshops, providing insights and broadening their perspectives. In addition, program participants value the guidance from Samsung employees who advise on projects and share their expertise with contestants.

Samsung’s vision for the future remains laser-focused on youth empowerment by nurturing young minds to ensure they are at the forefront of innovation. Join us in celebrating Solve for Tomorrow’s milestone and its enduring impact on shaping the next generation of STEM leaders who will continue to solve the challenges of tomorrow to make the world a better place for all.

In order to support the younger generations and their goals, Samsung Electronics launched its Solve for Tomorrow program in 2010, a program helping young people utilize STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) related skills to solve societal problems. The program began in the U.S. and has since expanded to 50 countries, with a total of 2 million students having participated.

Deniz Hatiboglu, Solve for Tomorrow program manager at Samsung Electronics America, paid a visit to Princeton High School in New Jersey, to commemorate the program’s 13th anniversary. As one of the winning teams in the 2021-2022 contest for their innovative food waste disposal project using insects, the team has continued to refine their ideas a year later.

Watch the video below to learn more about the Solve for Tomorrow program and the youth contributing to sustainable solutions.

With its global corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, Samsung Electronics empowers, engages and stimulates the imaginations of the young people striving to become the problem solvers of tomorrow. Samsung Solve for Tomorrow provides education opportunities and solutions implementation based on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC), meanwhile, helps design and nurture innovation capabilities in young people by training them in core information & communications technology (ICT) skills.

The programs have expanded to 33 countries around the world and have included 2.1 million talented participants so far. Today, the Samsung Newsroom is taking a closer look at these different global initiatives to see how Samsung Electronics is fulfilling its corporate social responsibilities across the world and to celebrate the young people participating in International Youth Day.

▲ Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People is Samsung Electronics’ vision for empowering tomorrow’s thinkers and leaders.

Malaysia: Innovating Plastic Alternatives for a Healthier Ocean

In Malaysia, three students learned how ocean pollution from plastic waste threatens the lives of coastal and marine species. They conducted a study to develop plastic alternatives using one of the most easily accessible materials in a country with a long coastline: seaweed. After joining Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, the students learned that STEM is a critical tool in approaching problems and realizing their solutions to them. Building on what they learned throughout the program, they are continuing their study on reducing marine pollution with the hope of contributing to a sustainable future.

Germany: Cutting-Edge Technology Paving the Way for Tomorrow’s Start-ups

Nada Seada, who participated in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow in Germany, designed a new gadget called Ingrid which gives older people more opportunities to connect with others and each other. Exacerbated by the pandemic Loneliness and social isolation are serious problems for our aging society. Ingrid was devised by upcycling an old VR device.

“Samsung Solve for Tomorrow helped me to grow my ideas from seed to fruit and provided me with opportunities to get valuable feedback from mentors and friends,” said Nada.

Katharina Porenta Elisabeth Scholz developed something called an EP-Checkup, which facilitates communication between healthcare professionals and the families of patients. Katharina’s invention was motivated by an experience she had when her grandfather was hospitalized with heart disease. She recalled the anxious hours she spent waiting for updates on his condition. Drawing on this nervousness — and hoping other people might be able to avoid it in the future — was what inspired her efforts.

“I participated in bootcamps, coaching sessions and seminars, and was lucky enough to learn cutting-edge technologies from expert mentors. Now I want to make my own start-up,” she said.

Peru: Innovating for the Benefit of Communities in Different Regions

In Peru, the top Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2021 prize went to a team that developed an insulated thermal box that could heat water using solar energy. The thermal box heats water then keeps it warm, which is useful in the cool regions where the yearly average temperature ranges from 5 to 15°C. The young innovators’ hope was that the box might be produced by combining traditional Peruvian organic methods with modern scientific approaches and that their invention might serve regions all over Peru.

Brazil: New Methodologies for the Purification of Water

The Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology, located in the northeastern area of Brazil, is an excellent model of how STEM-based approaches can prove invaluable in public education. A team from this institution committed itself to developing a water purifying system using solar radiation and, thanks to both the social utility and the sheer originality of the idea, the team won second prize at the 8^th Brazil Samsung Solve for Tomorrow.

“STEM is a very effective way to explore technologies that students are not given as much exposure to in the conventional education system,” said Mr. Raymond Lima Júnior, the team’s coach and chemistry teacher. “The program has the capacity to bring positive changes to public institutional education by showing the communities it is involved with the important values it holds.”

Canada: Environmental Innovation Unlocked Through Unexpected Materials

Students from Mount Allison University won the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow challenge hosted by Samsung Canada. The team tried to address the orange peel waste problem in their university’s local area. Over the course of Project Enviroot, as they called it, the students developed an environmentally-conscious, non-toxic alternative adhesive product made using orange peels dried in Samsung ovens. The adhesive alternative is now widely used in soft boards across the campus.

“It was such a meaningful opportunity to interact with other student environmentalists and community activists,” the young environmental enthusiasts said.

Indonesia: Harnessing Technology To Help the Visually Impaired

The SIC held in Indonesia was not exclusive to students majoring in STEM.

“I am not a programming major, so SIC was a great challenge for me,” said a student who learned how to develop independent IT solutions at SIC.

This student developed something they called Eyeroom solutions. This technology — implemented through theories picked up during the bootcamp – enables the elderly and the visually impaired to distinguish between their prescription drugs.

“I learned so many things from my mentors and friends at SIC. I studied things that I had never encountered before and now my dream is to someday develop solutions to achieve a better future.”

Armenia: Climbing the Programming Ladder

SIC Armenia delivered lectures to students from all around Armenia at United World College (UWC) Dilijan, one of 18 such colleges worldwide. The SIC program included lessons in ICT skills and capacity building classes for students searching for jobs.

“After taking classes at SIC, I am determined to begin my career in the programming sector,” said Narek, an undergraduate student who participated in the program. “I hope I will be able to contribute to the future of our country by designing drone software or artificial intelligence negotiation systems for the industry. SIC is an excellent opportunity for both improving your technical ability and sampling a variety of new classes and practices.”

Korea: Samsung Smart Schools Helping Dreams Come True

A school of only 50 students in Chungyang, Korea, makes up for its small size in its digital capabilities: Samsung Smart School is an active tool for the school in providing digital classrooms. Teachers and parents of Chungsong Elementary School have long been thinking of ways to maximize the potential of the children and minimize the educational gap between urban and rural districts. Together they found the answer to this important yet complex question with Samsung Smart School.

“I got interested in rockets and how they work when I happened to see them in action on my tablet PC,” said Myung-Gu Kang, a 6^th grader from Chungsong Elementary School. “Now I am interested in other areas of science too and I study these other subjects diligently,” Myung-Gu explained that he can search for information using the tablet PC any time he runs into a question, and that the bigger display size of Samsung Flip makes study more fun and enjoyable than ever.

India: Samsung Smart Schools Closing the Gap in Marginalized Communities

Since January this year, Samsung India has been supporting 10 schools with Samsung Smart School, which provides state-of-the-art educational environments utilizing digital devices and technologies. Aarohi Kumari, a student from one of these 10 schools — Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya — dreams of becoming a doctor. Aarohi’s father makes living as a driver in Varanasi.

“My background gives me no advantages over the other students, but my father always gives me hope,” Aarohi said. “Samsung Smart School let me experience digital education and helped my studying of my favorite subject become more enjoyable. I hope to qualify as a doctor in the future and make my father proud.”

“I was delighted to see scenes of young people unleashing their full potential through this cutting-edge educational environment,” said Shilaja Pathania, who is in charge of Samsung India’s CSR activities. “We intend to create more educational opportunities for young people who have been marginalized in education and care, so that they can acquire knowledge and cultivate the skills they need to become the next generation of leaders.”

▲ Samsung Electronics regional offices are spreading their efforts in CSR to young people around the world.

Samsung Electronics’ Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People vision is committed to providing education to young people around the world to empower the leaders of tomorrow. More stories on Samsung Electronics’ CSR efforts are available at Samsung Electronics’ CSR webpage (csr.samsung.com).

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow and the Samsung Innovation Campus not only help students across the world – including in the U.K., Vietnam and Turkey – gain more advantages in terms of job opportunities and career paths, but they also combine the efforts of participants in order to harness their skills and solve social issues. Samsung Newsroom heard from some of the young people who are creating a better future through Samsung’s programs.

Alec Conway’s Project Dignity Digital Lockers Help the Homeless Reintegrate Into Society

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is an education program in which young people utilize their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math to solve regional issues and further develop their problem-solving skills. The program, which began in the U.S. in 2010, is now present in more than 30 countries. It is comprised of three steps: identifying an issue, coming up with a solution and making that idea a reality. Samsung employees act as mentors for participating teams, providing them with support throughout the process. The winning team is chosen based on contestants’ presentations and the final products.

Through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, Alec Conway from the U.K. not only developed a novel idea, but also grew his idea into a business proposition. While traveling around Europe, he observed many homeless people carrying their possessions around. He realized that having a place to store their possessions would offer them more independence and opportunities. With this idea, he created Project Dignity and entered the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow program.

Alec designed a type of digital locker that not only offers a secure storage solution for homeless people, but also provides them with vital information such as maps, accommodations and details on food accessibility through a digital screen that’s built into the locker. Each locker also works as a PO box, providing the user with a permanent address with which they can receive support regarding employment, healthcare and tasks like opening a bank account. While participating in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, Alec received advice from Samsung employee mentors, and eventually took home the top prize. Alec is now working closely with Digital Catapult, a technology innovation center in the U.K., and is exploring partnerships to develop a functioning prototype of his digital locker.

Vietnamese Students’ IoT Device Trap Pests Using Solar Energy

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow offers an opportunity for students like Le Hang, Tuong Vy and Tuyet Nhi of Vietnam to unleash their potential and creativity using science and technology. The trio won Vietnam’s second edition of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow by developing equipment that allows local farmers to enhance productivity by streamlining how they trap pests.

The idea came to the students after they noticed just how often farmers have to enter hazardous zones to eliminate pests. They thought that if a device could take over pest control, the farmers would be able to work under much safer conditions. This led the students to start developing an IoT device that could trap pests in organic vegetable fields using solar energy.

Receiving robust mentoring and support from Samsung Solve for Tomorrow’s online sessions, they designed what they called “Equipment for trapping pests in organic vegetable fields using solar energy.” The team integrated IoT to ensure that the device would operate seamlessly even when it was far away. They credit Samsung Solve for Tomorrow for helping them overcome various obstacles and for teaching them a lot about the importance of teamwork during the problem-solving process, and about thinking critically.

Meet Batuhan, Who Grew Thanks to the Samsung Innovation Campus While Also Participating in the UN Sustainable Development Goals Project

The Samsung Innovation Campus offers various types of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) education to help unemployed young people competitiveness in the job market. The program offers a total of 240 hours of education in key ICT areas. Students can not only learn about technologies such as AI and IoT, but they can also develop crucial employability skills to help create better opportunities for themselves. As of 2020, approximately 160,000 students have graduated from the Samsung Innovation Campus, and the program is available in 20 regions around the world.

In the face of a job crisis that has left 25 percent of Turkish youth unemployed, Batuhan successfully landed a job in the IT industry after finding his dream at the Samsung Innovation Campus. A 2019 graduate of Istanbul Technical University, Batuhan had been interested in IT, but didn’t stand out in the field. Participating in the Samsung Innovation Campus program offered an opportunity for him to learn practical skills and know-how from field experts, and receive helpful career advice from his mentors.

In particular, Batuhan worked with other participants to plan and execute an environmental project in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He utilized everything he had learned in the program, which ultimately helped him broaden his perspective. “The Samsung Innovation Campus was an opportunity for me to challenge myself in a new way,” said Batuhan. “I learned that the hours of learning and hard work were all worth it in the end. If you wish to work in this field, I recommend the Samsung Innovation Campus.”

‘I Should Pay Forward What I’ve Learned’: Meet Passakorn, the Mentee Who Became a Mentor

Graduates of Samsung Innovation Campus often return to the program as mentors in order to pay forward the help they had received. Passakorn is one of those students. Having participated in SIC during its first year in Thailand, he has returned to serve as a mentor. He first got into programming to develop computer games, and received systematic education at the Samsung Innovation Campus. He and his teammates successfully completed the SIC program with their AI-based smart home solutions project.

By utilizing what he learned at the Samsung Innovation Campus, Passakorn was accepted into the robotics and AI engineering program at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. He became a mentor himself to share the special experience that he enjoyed at the Samsung Innovation Campus with more people. He wants students to go through education and training just like he did, and create solutions by collaborating with one another. “Thank you, Samsung Innovation Campus, for opening the door for me to come with my own innovative smart home solutions,” said Passakorn. “I hope to become a driving force for the new generation – the leaders of the future – to achieve innovative and creative feats.”

Technology for All: Meet Carmen, Who’s Lowering Barriers to Medical Support

Technology can create something novel that didn’t exist before, but it can also lower barriers for marginalized communities to access essential services. The idea of helping communities in need is what inspired Carmen, from Italy, to harness technology to make medical support accessible to all.

While in high school, Carmen spent some time teaching English at a rural primary school in Thailand. While there, she noticed that some people with disabilities were not able to receive the medical care that they required. This sparked an interest in robotic medical technology and in building prosthetic limbs and artificial organs.

Carmen joined the Samsung Innovation Campus while majoring in electronic engineering in college. SIC has not only allowed Carmen to acquire technical skills in areas such as AI, IoT and machine learning, but has also helped her strengthen her resilience and emotional intelligence, which are attributes that can separate an extraordinary engineer from the pack.

Carmen is especially interested in IoT, and was thrilled to study applications for IoT in the medical field and learn about the latest smart biosensors. Coming from an engineering background, understanding computer science topics was sometimes a challenge for Carmen. SIC participants, however, tend to come from a diverse range of academic fields and routinely help one another out when it comes to their area of expertise.

“The Samsung Innovation Campus has empowered the world’s youth by providing them with education and technical skills to develop capabilities that will be needed to solve important social issues,” said Carmen. “What I’ve learned here is helping me achieve my goal of creating prosthetic limbs and artificial organs for the disadvantaged. I will keep pushing myself forward to realize my dream and apply my skills and knowledge to make an impact.”

Guided by its CSR vision, “Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People,” Samsung Electronics provides educational opportunities to nurture the talent that will be needed to create a brighter future. Head to Samsung’s corporate citizenship website for more stories on how the company’s programs are helping bright young minds build a better tomorrow.

Well aware of the great importance of education, Samsung Electronics works to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they will need to build a better world. Firm in its belief that every young person deserves a quality education regardless of their background, gender, ability, or personal circumstances, Samsung has empowered a countless number of young people to slowly but steadily contribute to positive changes in their societies.

To celebrate the United Nations’ International Youth Day on August 12, Samsung has gathered stories of young students from different countries who are creating a better future for all by participating in Samsung’s corporate citizenship programs. Read on to hear about their experiences.

Efe’s idea, which he calls ‘Motokask-Motoheadguard,’ promotes road safety by placing a sensor in motorcyclists’ helmets that communicates with a control mechanism attached to their vehicle. When a rider puts on their helmet, a wireless signal is sent to this mechanism, which then allows the engine to start. If the rider attempts to ride without their helmet, the engine does not run.

The competition that provided a platform for Efe to showcase his innovation, Samsung Future Inventors, was a collaboration between Samsung Electronics Turkey and the Creative Children’s Association, under the umbrella of Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow initiative.

Nurturing Solutions for Tomorrow’s Problems

Just as its name implies, Solve for Tomorrow was established to encourage bright young minds around the world to come up with fresh solutions to pressing problems. With contests in countries around the globe, the initiative challenges students like Efe to dream up innovative ways to improve the world around them. The competitions’ ultimate goals are to enrich communities in need with meaningful innovations, and to nurture these students’ growth, confidence and ingenuity.

In 2016, a total of 18 open competitions were hosted in as many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, China and Turkey.

The competitions award the most exceptional innovations. For coming up with a clever way to prevent road accidents, Efe earned his contest’s top prize. After receiving his award, Efe described how participating in the competition had inspired him to keep pursuing scientific projects and inventing new ways to help others.

See how Solve for Tomorrow competitions around the globe are helping students like Efe realize their creative ideas and make a difference in their community.

Building a Bridge to Make Dreams Come True

This past March, Samsung China organized a Solve for Tomorrow competition with the goal of making it easier for students in a mountainous region of Zunyi to get to school safely.

The contest challenged participants to design a model of a functional load-bearing bridge that could be used to construct a real one. After a winning design was selected, volunteers worked together to build the structure, which they dubbed the ‘Dream-Weaving Bridge’.

Along with lending a hand in the bridge’s construction, Samsung China staff donated science books and other educational resources to the rural school. Upon finishing the project, volunteers and contest participants walked away with a well-earned sense of accomplishment, as their efforts had made it easier for students to study science and pursue their educational dreams.

As Solve for Tomorrow participant Lü Xiaobo expressed afterward, “After helping to build the Dream-Weaving Bridge, and having seen the children’s smiles, I now see my life’s purpose more clearly, and will work hard to promote the study of science in the future.”

Promoting STEAM in the USA

In April, high school students from across America gathered in Washington, D.C. for the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest – a competition that challenged students in grades 6 through 12 to come up with STEAM-based (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) solutions to real-world problems.

The students in attendance at the National Union Building represented the contest’s 10 finalist schools. Groups took to the stage before a panel of judges to pitch their unique projects, which spanned from a vending machine that supplies free hygiene products to the homeless, to a robotic car seat that detects when a child is left in a hot vehicle and alerts their parents.

The contest’s three winning schools hailed from Arizona, Nebraska and New York. Their respective award-winning projects included a low-cost wildlife detection system to alert drivers of animals crossing the road, a drone-powered spraying system to target weeds and reduce the use of chemicals on crops, and an app that allows restaurants to donate food that might otherwise have gone to waste to provide after-school meals for students in need.

By promoting the study of sciences and helping the next generation make a difference in their community, Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow program wholly embodies its guiding philosophy of inspiring the world and creating the future.

Samsung’s annual Solve for Tomorrow contest is designed to raise enthusiasm for STEM subjects—science, technology, engineering and mathematics—and inspire creative problem solving among the leaders of tomorrow. Deliberating on social issues alongside students, the program is a leading example of supporting the entrepreneurial spirit of students to contribute to local communities.

Included among these communities are Reno, Nevada, where students like Isabella Reyes Klein and her classmates have already made a very big difference.

After recognizing that students with special needs at her high school required extra assistance to carry out everyday tasks, Isabella decided to put her STEM skills to use in an effort to help these students gain greater independence.

She, along with a group of her peers from the STEM Academy at Galena High School, utilized a 3D modeling program to design a portable tray table that could easily be attached to a wheelchair. The task was not without its challenges, but after much trial and error—and the creation of 21 prototypes—the students were successful.

Not only did the project allow the students with disabilities to gain a sense of autonomy, but it illustrated how a small gesture can lead to impactful changes. It also showcased the advantages of technology in today’s world. For their efforts, the team was named the Solve for Tomorrow National Winner in 2015.

Since 2013, Samsung has held 41 Solve for Tomorrow contests in 17 countries, with over 200,000 student participants.

Samsung Electronics Maghreb Arab and nonprofit Enactus Morocco held the second edition of their Samsung Solve4Tomorrow campaign from September 16 to 18. The weekend “boot camp” saw nine teams of young Moroccan entrepreneurs face off in the spirit of altruistic competition, working together to develop solutions to improve their communities’ quality of life.

The fundamental philosophy behind the Solve for Tomorrow program is that there is a solution to every problem. By nurturing the ideas of young visionaries such as these, we provide them with the power to create a better tomorrow.

The five innovative ideas selected to advance to the competition’s final round were:

• PillMinder: A mobile application that organizes patients’ medication-taking process, and can help them coordinate regular check-ups and connect with doctors and pharmacists in the event of emergencies.
• MedTrainIn: A project that presents an affordable means for surgeons to share their insights with medical students via virtual reality technology.
• Atticool: A sustainable-food project comprising a small clay refrigerator connected to an adapted solar-energy system that allows it to reach the right temperature to properly preserve food.
• Ma Santé: A healthcare solution consisting of a control box that allows users to measure various health data and a mobile application that provides them with daily analysis of their physical state.
• Eco-dome: A system based on the Arduino programming platform that, once installed, provides control over all aspects of energy consumption in a user’s home.

The SDC 2016 event, which ran April 27 and 28 in San Francisco, was one more example of Samsung’s dedication to inspiring young people to learn more about coding. The company organizes Solve for Tomorrow competitions and Mobile App Academies around the world and participates in a variety of coding initiatives, like the EU Code Week in Europe. As coding has become recognized as the new literacy, Samsung has developed programs designed to foster lifelong skills like critical thinking, creative problem-solving and collaboration.

Student from the United States, Argentina, and Korea met with Dongjin Koh, the President of Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics.

Attending SDC 2016 from the United States was Emily Waite, a 12^th-grade student from Massachusetts and one of the winners of the 2015 US Mobile App Academy. Emily created Med Kid, an app to incentivize children with serious illnesses to take their medications. Each time a child takes their medicine, they get an in-app reward, turning a serious and sometimes difficult task into a fun game.

From Korea, Young Jun Lee came to explain his mobile app Don’t Forget Me, which helps families manage their household plants together, like remembering the watering schedule and recording the plants’ growth history. Lee was just 12 years old when he won the first Junior Software Cup in Korea in 2015 for his creative app. More than 1,000 teams entered the 2015 competition, which asked young people to create apps under the theme of “family.”

Young Jun Lee, the winner of Junior Software Cup from Korea, explains the app he developed to other young coders from the United States and Argentina.

From Argentina, three middle-school winners of the 2014 Solve for Tomorrow competition came to present their winning project, an app for improving evacuation during flood emergencies.  Not only did Samsung think their app was a winner, so did their local government, which added it to the local Civil Defense system to help protect people when the local Lujan River floods.

A student on the Solve for Tomorrow Argentina Team explains their winning app to developers.

All told, Samsung has run a variety of Coding Initiative projects in 14 countries, with more than 690,000 students participating. The goal is to make young people creators of technology, not just consumers, so they can actively participate in shaping their own futures.

More than 350 11th and 12th grade high school students across the U.S. attended the free, five-day coding academies hosted by Samsung.

Student developers will stand alongside professionals at the Samsung Developer Conference in San Francisco today. The students, chosen from the five winners of the 2015 Samsung Mobile App Academy, made apps to address issues in their local communities. Winning apps include an interactive pill chart to incentivize children with serious illness to take their medication, a system for diagnosing pulmonary illnesses and a game to teach kids coding.

A summer program held at universities across the country, Samsung Mobile App Academy offers students in grades 11 and 12 the opportunity to learn coding from actual developers and create a marketable app of their own. The goal is to help the students develop the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills critical to careers in the digital age. Participants are asked to focus their apps in one of four categories: health, education, environment and community investment/sustainability.

The five winners of the 2015 Samsung Mobile App Academy will be announced at the conference. They are:

1. Emily Waite, a senior at Franklin High School in Franklin, Mass., won the Grand Prize, including a $20,000 scholarship, for her app Med Kid, which helps children who are seriously ill take their medications accurately.
2. Maya Varma, a senior at Presentation High School in San Jose, Calif., won Second Prize, including a $10,000 scholarship, for her app iBreathe, which helps diagnose early five prevalent pulmonary illnesses.
3. Quymbee Chen, a senior at Bronx High School of Science in Bronx, NY, won Third Prize, including a $5,000 scholarship, for her app Code Clash, a game for kids to learn code.
4. Gayathri Sridhar, senior at Evergreen Valley High School in San Jose, Calif., won Fourth Prize, including a $1,000 scholarship, for her app Forte, which helps teens cope with depression.
5. Noa Schwartz, a senior at Brookline High School in Brookline, Mass., won Fifth Prize, including a $500 scholarship, for her app Connexercise, designed to reinvent the workout experience.

Emily Waite of Franklin, Mass. is the Grand Prize Winner and recipient of a $20,000 scholarship for the app she created at Samsung’s 2015 Mobile App Academy that uses incentives to get kids suffering from illness to take their medications. Emily Waite of Franklin, Mass. is the Grand Prize Winner and recipient of a $20,000 scholarship for the app she created at Samsung’s 2015 Mobile App Academy that uses incentives to get kids suffering from illness to take their medications.

In the Zone at the Conference

Grand Prize winner Emily Waite and Third Prize winner Quymbee Chen will present their apps to attendees at the third annual Samsung Developer Conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on April 27 and 28. This year’s conference focuses on the Internet of Things, the interoperability between devices and applications, and virtual reality. Samsung Mobile App Academy winners will be stationed in the Innovator Zone on the showroom floor, with other talented students who participated in similar Samsung programs in regions around the world. The students also will meet Samsung professionals who develop software for a living, giving them the opportunity to meet leaders in STEM fields and likeminded innovators.

Waite got the idea for her digital pill chart from watching her cousin and friend, both with serious illnesses, have to take a lot of medication at the one time. “For my app, I wanted to create a fun way to incentivize children to take their medications,” said Waite. App users receive icon gifts when they take their medicine as well as complete doctor visits. Waite recently decided she will attend Cornell University in the fall and major in mechanical engineering.

Chen chose to make education the focus for her app, as she enjoys tutoring middle school students in computer science. She said: “I wanted to design an app that teaches kids how to code, but I wanted it to be fun, so I modeled it after a popular cartoon. The app trainer pushes the users to improve, while teaching them about computer science topics in ways kids can relate to.”

All five winners participated in the 2015 Samsung Mobile App Academy, attended by a total of 350 students nationwide. The program, which is free and attended by students who are required to go through an application process, lasted five days and focused on a custom coding curriculum. Last summer, Samsung Mobile App Academy programs were held at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts; University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, California; Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey; Rice University in Houston, Texas; University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland; and University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

“These students are well on their way to mastering the art of app creation. They have shown their forward-thinking and creativity through their projects. We are excited to have them at our annual Samsung Developer Conference in recognition of their enthusiasm for STEM and for making a difference in the lives of people around them,” said Ann Woo, senior director of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics America.

For more than a decade, Samsung’s Hope for Children initiative has been focused on helping youth in underserved communities across the United States gain access to quality healthcare, technology resources and STEM education. In addition to Samsung Mobile App Academy, which started in 2011, the company also supports STEM education through other national programs, including the Solve for Tomorrow contest.

Learn more about the Samsung Developers Conference at http://news.samsung.com/us/press-kits/sdc2016.

The contest challenges students in grades 6 through 12 nationwide to use their STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills to innovate a solution to a problem affecting in their community. This year, the Grand Prize Winners were selected from a pool of more than 4,100 school groups that submitted ideas last October for how they would apply STEM to making a difference.

The National Winners of the 2016 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest pose with His Excellency Ahn Ho-Young, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to the U.S. (center); Chairman Michael T. McCaul (R-TX) (center left); Won-Kyong Kim, Executive Vice President of U.S. Public Affairs at Samsung Electronics America (back right); and Ann Woo, Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics American (far right). Credit: Margarita Corporan.

The awards luncheon was held at Top of the Hill Banquet & Conference Center at the Reserve Officers Association in Washington, D.C. Welcome remarks were provided by the Korean ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Ahn Ho-Young. He said: “Programs like Solve for Tomorrow are a great way to highlight the important role STEM skills play in solving the challenges our communities face. The talent, creativity and compassion for their neighbors that this year’s winners have shown makes me more confident than ever in our shared future together.”

In addition to honoring the students, Samsung recognized Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), Chairman Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) for their commitment to STEM education in K-12 schools nationwide, naming them Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM Champions.

“As someone who grew up in poverty, I know full well the power of education,” said Scott. “That’s why I fully support the STEM education motto, because I’ve seen firsthand the amazing things that can come from these programs.”

McCaul and Polis received their awards in person.

“I am honored to receive this distinction from Samsung, but the true recognition goes to the students and teachers committed to STEM education and breakthroughs,” said McCaul. “With great programs like ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ and its participants, I am more confident than ever that America’s scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematics future are bright.”

Keynote speaker Mick Ebeling, CEO of Not Impossible Labs, spoke about his company’s mission “Technology for the Sake of Humanity,” to provide tech-based solutions to help people with disabilities and illnesses around the world live fuller lives. Not Impossible Labs engineers and makers have used STEM to create affordable and unique healthcare tools, such as the acclaimed Eyewriter, which helped a paraplegic street artist to draw again after seven years. “Commit, then figure it out” was Ebeling’s advice for the invention process, adding, “If you fail, it’s okay – that means you’re one step closer to finding the solution.”

While in Washington, D.C., the winners also had the opportunity to meet with their respective congressional representatives and present their projects.

“We are so happy to give the students this opportunity to show their congressional representatives what they have been working on,” said Ann Woo, senior director of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics America. “Their projects, while addressing local issues, could have an impact on communities across the country. We are also humbled to be among members of Congress as well as industry leaders who are also working to make a difference through STEM.”

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest was created in 2010 to bridge the gap in STEM education in public schools across the United States. Since its inception, the contest has awarded more than $17 million* in technology and prizes to more than 1,000 schools. To learn more about the competition, please visit: http://www.samsung.com/solve.

B-roll and images from the luncheon and trip will be made available at http://news.samsung.com/us/press-kits/2016-solve-for-tomorrow-event/.

To watch videos from the event, please visit the US Newsroom.

* Estimated Retail Value

Comfortable cardboard classroom furniture for special needs students, prosthetic enhancements for veterans and a smartwatch app for pedestrian safety are among the winning projects of this year’s Solve for Tomorrow contest.  Five groups of public school students from across the United States have been named Grand Prize Winners, taking home $120,000* in technology for their school.

The contest challenges students in grades 6 through 12 nationwide to use their STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills to innovate a solution to a problem affecting in their community. This year, the Grand Prize Winners were selected from a pool of more than 4,100 school groups that submitted ideas last October for how they would apply STEM to making a difference.

The 2016 Solve for Tomorrow Grand Prize Winners are:

Mission Valley ROP/James Logan High School, California
Students designed and constructed a fully-functional, solar-powered charging station for their Bay Area neighborhood – the region with the highest number of electric vehicles on the roads today. They were named the Community Choice Winner, selected by a public vote on Instagram and Twitter. View their video submission here: James Logan High School.

Brooklyn Technical High School, New York
After three fellow students were tragically hit and killed by cars, students developed a smartwatch app that warns pedestrians of oncoming vehicles. They were named the Samsung Ambassador Choice Winner, by a vote of Samsung employees. View their video submission here: Brooklyn Technical High School.

Horizon Middle School, Colorado
Students living near Buckley Air Force Base have family members and friends and know other residents who have lost limbs while serving abroad and struggle with the cost of prosthetics. The students designed a comfortable, cost-effective prosthetic enhancement for one of the local wounded veterans. They were selected by the judges at the Pitch Event held at Samsung 837 in New York City in March. View their video submission here: Horizon Middle School.

Ridgewood Middle School, Missouri
The students noticed that some of their peers with disabilities had trouble staying upright in their chairs, and so they used reinforced cardboard to engineer comfortable classroom furniture for their peers and have developed more than 20 pieces to date. They were selected by the judges at the Pitch Event held at Samsung 837 in New York City in March. View their video submission here: Ridgewood Middle School.

Loudon Valley High School, Virginia
With limited cell reception on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, several hikers and cyclists have been injured or attacked and unable to call for help. The students designed a wireless, solar-powered and weatherproof safety alert system that rapidly connects to emergency services. They were selected by the judges at the Pitch Event held at Samsung 837 in New York City in March. View their video submission here: Loudon Valley High School.

All five of the Grand Prize Winners are invited to Washington, D.C. for an awards luncheon, meetings with their Congressional representatives and a tour of the White House on April 27. Students from the winning schools in California and Colorado have also been invited to present their projects at the White House Science Fair on April 13.

“Solve for Tomorrow is designed to inspire students to rethink STEM and realize their ability to apply those skills to address safety, environmental and health issues in their own backyards and around the world,” said Ann Woo, senior director of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics America. “We are so proud of these students at these five schools for their ingenuity and creativity in applying STEM to solving problems in their communities and creating positive change.”

In addition to technology, the five Grand Prize Winners have won prizes from Samsung partners BrainPop, Adobe, National Environmental Education Foundation and Nepris.

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest was created in 2010 to bridge the gap in STEM education in public schools across the United States. Since its inception, the contest has awarded more than $17 million* in technology and prizes to more than 1,000 schools. To learn more about the competition, please visit: http://www.samsung.com/solve.

A video of this year’s Pitch Event can be found here: http://smsng.news/1RWevNH.

*Estimated retail value

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), is a recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology. A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA delivers a broad range of digital consumer electronics, IT and home appliance products. Samsung is the market leader for HDTVs in the U.S and America’s fastest growing home appliance brands. To discover more of the award-winning products you love with Samsung, please visit www.samsung.com and for the latest Samsung news, please visit news.samsung.com/us and follow on Twitter@SamsungNewsUS.

Samsung Electronics announced its commitment to education and presented its innovations including virtual reality devices at the Brazilian Fair of Sciences and Engineering – FEBRACE 2016, which was held during March , in São Paulo – Brazil. During the event, which was promoted by the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo (Poli – USP), students from high school and technical colleges from across Brazil presented more than 300 projects focused on several knowledge areas.

On the third day of the event, three Samsung executives, Gabriel Farias, Guilherme Selber and Antonio Marcon, gave lectures on the Internet of Things (IoT) and Samsung’s innovations. On the following day was an award ceremony, during which a project was awarded the “Samsung Internet of Things Award.” The project was recognized for providing the best solution—using connectivity and technology—to a local community issue. As recognition, the winning team received a trophy, medals and educational kits with electronic materials.

“Samsung uses its global network and its innovations to generate positive changes around the world,” said Helvio Kanamaru, Senior Manager of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Latin America. “We believe that technology is an excellent mechanism for young people to have access to a world of possibilities and develop new opportunities.”

“FEBRACE invites and encourages students from high school to develop projects and exercise scientific research,” Kanamaru said. “It is an important convergence of social responsibility, education and integration with the academic world – topics that are very important in Samsung’s Corporate Citizenship platform.”

FEBRACE’s coordinator, professor Roseli de Deus Lopes, highlighted the expectations of the fair in relation to the students.

“The most important aspect is not the result of developing a prototype or product, but the whole process, the various stages of research, reflection, construction and observation required for projects development,” Ms Lopes said

Samsung has contributed to improvements in education through its own initiatives carried out in Latin American countries, such as ‘Respostas para o Amanhã’ (Solve for Tomorrow), a contest that encourages students and teachers from public high schools to develop projects that  benefit their communities, using the knowledge acquired in the classroom.

The company has also been developing the Tech Institute Program, which offers opportunities for young people to obtain technical training through the sponsorship of scholarships. Last year, Samsung promoted a special edition in Brazil – the Tech Institute Internet of Things, a course offered to high school students in order to encourage them to create solutions for a smart house using the Internet of Things. This edition of the program was held in partnership with the Integrated Technology Systems Lab (LSITEC) that is also responsible for organizing FEBRACE.

“We live in an increasingly connected world,” Kanamaru said. “Samsung’s electronic devices already offer great interaction between them, but we want to go beyond. Therefore, we are promoting the Tech Institute IoT with LSITEC and sponsoring FEBRACE. The new innovation-based labor market needs young professionals with solid training in those fields.”

Each of the 51 schools, chosen from more than 4,100 entries, receive $20,000* in Samsung technology – including a Samsung GALAXY Camera, ATIV Book 9 laptop and Adobe Elements software – to create a 2-minute video about their project that addresses the contest challenge: Show how STEM can help improve your community.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this year’s state winners,” said Ann Woo, who directs Corporate Citizenship for Samsung Electronics America. “The breadth of project topics ranging from eliminating pedestrian fatalities in urban areas to designing a mobile shelter to keep the traditions of a community with a nomadic heritage alive and everything in between – all through the application of science and technology truly speak to Samsung’s roots in creating innovations that matter, the kind that improve people’s lives in tangible ways. We look forward to helping these students and teachers build greater STEM competency both in and out of their classrooms to empower them further.”

Those with the best videos advance to the next phase of the contest to become the 15 national finalists and win $40,000* for their school. As a national finalist, each school presents their projects to a live panel of judges and invited guests in March. How they perform is factored into the selection criteria for the five national winners who received $120,000* for their school. Three of the five national winners are selected by a panel of judges, one by Samsung employees and one by online voters.

“It’s a learning opportunity that encourages customized teaching, students to excel in their areas of interest, and present and defend their work to experts and media,” said Tom Larsen, who led his class of Galena High School STEM Academy freshman in Reno, Nevada, to become a national winner last year. “I couldn’t have imagined the impact this would have on me personally, my students, our program, school and community. This was a school year none of us will ever forget.”

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest launched in 2010 to engage students in active, hands-on STEM learning as a response to trailing STEM skills among U.S. students. Since 2004, Samsung has invested more than $17 million* in technology to more than 1,200 public schools across the United States.

This year’s 51 state winners of the Solve for Tomorrow Contest are:

For more information about Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, please visit samsung.com/solve.

For more information about Samsung’s Corporate Citizenship efforts, please visit samsung.com/citizenship.

*Estimated Retail Value

Teams have been built. States have been assigned. The mission – to boost entries for the 2015-2016 Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) Contest – has been accepted. And the SFT Employee Ambassadors are off!

SFT is a national competition designed to boost interest and proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) among U.S. public school students. SFT challenges students in grades 6-12 to show how STEM can be used to help improve their communities.

For the 2015-2016 program year, 210 Samsung employees from various U.S. offices volunteered to be SFT Employee Ambassadors. Samsung employees love friendly competition, especially when the end result is for the greater good.

“It’s an amazing feeling to be able to give back to the community and see what the future holds for us through the eyes of these brilliant kids,” said Frank Mantz of Samsung Business, who served as an Employee Ambassador at the SFT National Finalist Pitch Event in March. “Some people may think it will take up too much time in their already busy schedule, and it does take a certain amount of dedication, but what you get back in the end makes up for any time lost [by] tenfold.”

Mantz hosted the Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy from Erie, Pennsylvania during perhaps the most exciting event of the year-long program. Students from the top 15 schools across the country converged at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City to present and defend their projects in front of a live panel of judges.

The team’s amazing vertical gardens project, which addressed both the lack of fresh produce and the lack  of horizontal space to grow them in their urban community, earned the school more than $135,000 of technology and other prizes and a Solve for Tomorrow National Winner title.

So far more than 3,000 schools have entered with the same goal in mind. But with just  a few days before the entry period closes, the SFT Employee Ambassadors are doing all they can to make sure more schools have the opportunity to win the technology that is so critical to modern-day STEM curriculum.

“We had more than 3,000 schools enter last year,” said Bill Welker, manager of the Solve for Tomorrow Contest. “We’re aiming to beat that record and need everyone’s help to spread the word.”

Teams like Mantz’s are certainly doing all they can to do just that. After all, his teammates Rose Luppino and Gabriel Hanauer are veteran ambassadors who have had the distinction of being part of the winning team to gather the most entries for the past two years.

“We have to put the investment in our kids to make sure that they have the tools to obtain the knowledge that they need,” said Rose Luppino of Samsung Sales.

For more information on the Solve for Tomorrow Contest, please visit samsung.com/solve.

Some have questioned the need for more technology in our schools, to which educators have responded with a resounding yes. Not only do they believe technology enables a more hands-on experience that allows students to better understand concepts and test theories, a recent Samsung-sponsored GFK survey found that 90 percent of U.S. teachers say modern technology in the classroom is important for student success.

This finding supports what Samsung has been doing for many years – providing technology to schools in every state across the country through our Solve for Tomorrow initiative, a nationwide effort to boost enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) among students in grades K-12. When used in moderation, a recent survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, found that students with access to technology perform better, on average, than those with less access. Through technology, teachers are better able to cater to various learning styles, engaging students both in and out of the classroom and encouraging more student involvement and collaboration.

Galena High School students Bela, Micheál and Jackie celebrate with Hunter at their school workshop in Reno, Nevada. Their assistive technology project where they used their STEM skills to design and develop prototype adaptive equipment to help special-needs students, Hunter and Kenny, earned them recognition as 2015 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow national winners.

The classrooms of today are equipped with devices such as interactive whiteboards and displays, dashboards, tablets, smartphones and other tools that have modernized education to be more customizable, empowering students and teachers to use digital tools to solve problems and learn.

We’ve seen that when institutions don’t have enough traditional tools, of scientific inquiry such as laboratory equipment to accommodate every student, they often turn to technology to bridge the gap, creating virtual biology laboratories. Through technology, educators are able to find innovative ways of providing students with relevant information and tools to use in the problem-solving process.

There are countless success stories that demonstrate how technology in the classroom can break down barriers and ultimately create a more inclusive learning environment.

There’s also the students from Galena High School in Reno, Nevada who participated in Samsung’s technology grant program, called the Solve for Tomorrow Contest, where students and teachers were challenged to show how STEM can help improve their community.

Their objective was to design adaptive equipment to make day-to-day tasks easier for their fellow classmates with disabilities. They applied what they learned in their STEM studies to help their community and the team was rewarded for their efforts by being chosen as one of five national winners and earning $138,000 in Samsung technology for their school.

The Solve for Tomorrow Contest, which is accepting entries until October 30, encourages every U.S. public school serving grades 6-12 to harness their creativity and STEM skills to solve a problem that affects their local community. While technology and other prizes that total approximately $2 million throughout the course of the year-long competition is rewarding, many teachers who participate in this program say the experience of using technology in a way that engages students like never before makes the biggest difference.

As a global technology leader with scientists, engineers and mathematicians working together to imagine and create the future, we believe industry leaders must take part in helping ensure the leaders of tomorrow are being prepared today, with the tools they’ll need to make the world a better place for generations to come.

Technology alone is not the answer, but how technology is being used. When combined with sound teaching methods and irreplaceably caring teachers, technology can help create a fully immersive educational experience that makes all the difference.

The evolution of the education process is in full swing and our mission is to ensure that our future leaders are onboard for the ride.

For more information about the Solve for Tomorrow Contest and how to enter, please visit samsung.com/solve.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZXP02Az6ds&feature=youtu.be