Ahead of this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, Samsung Newsroom highlights the impact of these programs and spotlights young women forging meaningful careers in technology.

India: From Beginner to Hackathon Winner

Growing up in Bangalore, Vaishnavi Kambar had no exposure to coding and never imagined joining a hackathon. After developing her skills at SIC and gaining experience as an intern, she went on to win HackToFuture 3.0. How does someone go from knowing little about programming to claiming victory so quickly? For Kambar, the answer wasn’t a single breakthrough but steady support and collaboration at SIC. There, she advanced her technical abilities and gained the confidence to perform at a high level.

Early in the program, Kambar worried her mentor might grow frustrated with her questions. Instead, she found patience and guidance. She credits this empathy as the foundation that encouraged her to keep learning and to speak up when in doubt.

For Kambar, SIC was a turning point. She learned to present ideas, work in teams and solve problems under pressure — experiences that reshaped how she sees herself. Now, she urges other young women interested in technology or innovation to approach the journey with courage and an open mind.

“Just take the plunge, even if you feel like you don’t belong. I started with no coding knowledge and a biology background,” said Kambar. “At times I felt like an outsider, but I kept going, one step at a time. Each time I pushed through the fear, I grew stronger.”

Armenia: From Learner to Leader

In Armenia, Hasmik Kettsyan discovered SIC as a place to grow. Although she already had coding experience, she often felt isolated in tech settings as the only girl in the room. At SIC, encouragement and trust created an environment where she could apply coding theory to real-world problems — a key step in finding purpose in her work.

“Different perspectives lead to better solutions, and the field gets stronger when more people are involved,” said Kettsyan, now a tech professional who encourages more young women to enter the field. “Find people who support you and keep pushing yourself. Your ideas matter more than you might realize.”

Inspired by her time at SIC, Kettsyan is now paying it forward. Soon after completing the program, she organized a technology summer camp for younger students in her community and began writing a book on innovation that she hopes to publish. For her, inspiring others has become one of the most rewarding parts of the SIC experience — and it continues to drive her to give back.

China: Learning Through Challenge

Ziyun Xu, a recent graduate of New York University Shanghai, is headed to Yale University to pursue her dream of protecting the environment. As a high school freshman in 2019, she wasn’t sure how to begin research. That changed when she joined Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, where she quickly learned the rigors of the process and advanced rapidly as a young scientist.

At one point, Xu revised her project seven times in just three days — each requiring a complete rethink of her approach — while also reviewing 280 sources to strengthen her paper. The experience laid the foundation for more advanced work that later took her research beyond the lab.

In Guangxi, Xu and her teammates worked in the countryside to design better-ventilated cattle sheds for local families, improve silage feed and use fermented cow dung to raise earthworms. Although farmers were initially skeptical, they grew to appreciate the team’s efforts. “The owner of the cattle farm sincerely thanked us for everything we had done,” she recalled.

Xu credits Solve for Tomorrow as the stepping stone to her dream, providing girls an outlet to explore science while serving their communities. She has since carried that spirit forward — mentoring younger students and presenting her findings at global conferences. “Every girl should believe that an idea from her youth might change some corner of the world,” she said.

Germany: Expanding Opportunities for Girls in STEM Around the World

For girls interested in STEM careers worldwide, Solve for Tomorrow and SIC have built a legacy of empowerment and community impact. As a global leader in youth education, Samsung also runs initiatives such as Girls’DAI. At the April 2025 event hosted by Samsung Electronics Germany, 36 girls toured the Samsung Space at the company’s headquarters in Eschborn — exploring three levels of AI technology, experiencing Galaxy AI firsthand and learning about responsible and creative uses of AI.

“Our Girls’DAI has shown how much potential lies in the next generation — bold questions, creative ideas and an open view of technology. Anyone who wants to shape AI needs these perspectives,” said Katharina Strohmeier, Project Manager of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics Germany. “Girls bring these perspectives, and that makes the future smarter, fairer and more diverse.”

Whether by supporting girls to become accomplished researchers or by offering hands-on exposure to the latest technology, Samsung is committed to opening educational opportunities for the next generation worldwide.

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

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is a global STEM competition that empowers students to develop creative, real-world solutions to community challenges while building skills, confidence and connections that prepare them to lead and inspire change.

Samsung Innovation Campus is a global education program that equips youth — including underrepresented groups — with advanced IT skills in areas like AI, big data and IoT, along with hands-on training and mentorship to pursue careers, startups and social impact in the digital era.

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.

Sustainability and Social Change Explored by Youth Around the World

Launched in the United States in 2010, Solve for Tomorrow is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education competition that has reached more than 2.9 million students across 68 countries over the past 15 years. The program encourages students to propose creative solutions to social issues in their local communities, helping them build essential critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Starting in 2025 with the introduction of global themes, Solve for Tomorrow will go one step further to evolve into a platform for youth to collaborate and address universal problems that transcend local boundaries.

This year’s global themes are “Environmental Sustainability via Technology” and “Social Change Through Sport & Technology with International Olympic Committee.”

“Environmental issues are among the most difficult challenges facing humanity today,” said Soojin Kim, Head of the Corporate Sustainability Center at Samsung Electronics. “We are pleased to join youth around the world on this journey to overcome these issues with technology.”

▲ A poster celebrating the 15th anniversary of Solve for Tomorrow and introducing the global themes

Global Themes Selected Through ‘Together for Tomorrow’ Olympic Partnership

As the Worldwide smartphone Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games last year, IOC and Samsung partnered to launch ‘Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People’ — a digital community created to complement Solve for Tomorrow. The platform aims to engage young people from across the globe with the Olympic Movement and harness the transformative power of technology and sport to drive meaningful change.

During the Olympic Games Paris 2024, 10 students from the winning teams of the previous year’s Solve for Tomorrow program served as ambassadors for “Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People.”

The theme “Social Change Through Sport & Technology” was voted on by the public in the Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People community. Samsung and IOC plan to appoint individuals who exemplify this theme as global ambassadors and collaborate with them to develop solutions.

“We are delighted to work with our Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung on the creation of this new sport-driven theme,” said Ollie Dudfield, Associate Director of Olympism 365 at IOC. “It’s an exciting step forward in line with the ambitions of IOC’s Olympism 365 strategy — empowering young people around the world to think boldly about how sport and technology can drive positive change.’’

Leveraging Samsung’s Expertise To Strengthen Support for Participants

Samsung is leveraging its unique resources and expertise to strengthen Solve for Tomorrow. By integrating the Samsung Design Thinking methodology into the program, the company hopes to encourage the development of practical, user-centered solutions. Samsung also plans to expand employee mentoring to help participants further refine their ideas with guidance from experts with real-world experience.

IOC Young Leaders Programme will also have a role to play in helping students understand how sport and technology can mix to generate innovative solutions to social challenges. “Through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, I’ve learned that even a small idea can spark big change,” said Solve for Tomorrow US ambassador Ngan Huu Kim Le.

“Working alongside friends from around the world motivates me to keep seeking creative solutions for a better future.”

Solve for Tomorrow 2025 recently kicked off in Vietnam and India, and will soon be launched in Indonesia, Türkiye, Singapore and other countries. Spanning months from the qualifiers to the finals, the program will award winning teams, depending on the country, with project incubation funding and support for establishing STEM labs.

“Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has been Samsung’s flagship corporate citizenship initiative for the past 15 years,” said Eddie Cho, Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Citizenship Office at Samsung Electronics. “We look forward to strengthening the role of the global platform to nurture even more young people into the leaders of tomorrow.”

▲ The 15th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow U.S. Pitch & Reveal Event took place in Samsung DC on April 28. (From left) U.S. National Winner Charter School of Wilmington from Delaware with Yoonie Joung, President of Samsung Electronics North America; Solve for Tomorrow U.S. ambassador Ngan Huu Kim Le

▲ The India Opening Ceremony took place in IIT Delhi on April 29. (From left) Shubham Mukherjee, Head of CSR & Corp Communication, Samsung SWA; Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & IT; JB Park, President & CEO, Samsung SWA; Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India; Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi; Dr. Sapna Poti, Senior Director, Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government

▲ The opening ceremony of Solve for Tomorrow 2025 Vietnam was held in Hanoi on March 28

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.

To celebrate International Day of the Girl Child, observed annually on October 11, Samsung Electronics is showcasing the remarkable achievements of young women who participated in Samsung Innovation Campus — the company’s global initiative to equip young students with 4IR knowledge and hands-on technical experience.

By pursuing research and work in STEM fields, these young women are breaking down societal barriers and showing how anyone can become leaders and innovators of tomorrow. Read on to learn more about these graduates and their inspiring stories.

USA: Amplifying the Voices of All

Impassioned by her interest in AI and robotics, Natia Lollie from Texas found herself motivated to enroll in Samsung Innovation Campus to take her knowledge and skills further. After completing the rigorous seven-month program, Lollie emerged with a greater understanding of neural networks and deep learning, recognizing their potential to revolutionize robotics as well as solve highly complex challenges.

As Samsung Innovation Campus provides students from all backgrounds the opportunity to learn and grow, Lollie explains how the program acts as a crucial step in the journey towards true inclusivity, diversity and gender visibility within tech. “Encouraging women to participate and discover their places in the development and governance of the AI industry will both reduce bias and ensure that there is a diversity of perspectives. It will also promote greater representation by amplifying all voices and making sure they’re heard,” Lollie said.

Leveraging the knowledge acquired from Samsung Innovation Campus, Lollie aspires to be a Computer Vision specialist in the future and is actively working towards this goal. “My initial goal when I set out to take the course was to find the intersection between AI, machine learning and robotics and I successfully accomplished this. With the knowledge I gained, I now have a better understanding of how to utilize these skills to achieve my dream,” she added.

INDIA: A Community of Women in STEM

Samsung Innovation Campus alumna Medapati Vijaya is currently an undergraduate student pursuing civil engineering at the Dr. Lankapalli Bullayya College of Engineering. As an avid math enthusiast, Vijaya found herself curious to learn more about the role math plays in AI and machine learning — leading her to enroll in Samsung Innovation Campus in 2022.

Vijaya’s experiences at Samsung Innovation Campus led to both academic and personal growth. “The field of STEM is traditionally male dominated. However, with the support of the Samsung Innovation Campus community and the program’s resources, I was able to connect with other like-minded women in STEM and succeed,” Vijaya explained.

Samsung Innovation Campus’ curriculum covered a variety of topics related to AI, including data analytics — which Vijaya had a personal interest in due to her aspiration to become a data analyst. The program also enabled Vijaya to strengthen her organizational and analytical thinking skills as it seamlessly bridged theoretical knowledge and practice, which she claims is essential within the tech industry.

“You may encounter some difficulties but don’t let this discourage you! Believe in your potential, embrace your curiosity and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Surrounding yourself with a supportive community, such as the one I experienced in Samsung Innovation Campus, can make all the difference,” Vijaya expressed.

Vijaya explained how the all-female educational environment had a profound effect on her confidence, as she was able to connect with her peers and step outside of her comfort zone. “My experience at Samsung Innovation Campus helped me develop my confidence in many ways,” said Vijaya.

SPAIN: A Path Forward for Women in Tech

Valencia natives Carmen Llopis and Daniela Georgieva both began their tech journeys at Samsung Innovation Campus in Spain — a unique program to boost women’s participation in the AI field through courses designed specifically for local universities.

Llopis, who attends the Polytechnic University of Valencia, was not initially interested in AI and other technologies. After enrolling in Samsung Innovation Campus, her perspective shifted dramatically and she discovered an interest she did not know she had. “AI is my newfound passion and it’s an exciting field to be involved in. I am now advancing my studies and actively engaging in the tech industry as a woman, and I hope young girls in Spain can be inspired to pursue their passions for technology,” said Llopis.

Originally a graphic design student, Georgieva gradually became interested in programming and decided to explore this curiosity. Despite her limited knowledge of AI, she was warmly welcomed into the AI training program at Samsung Innovation Campus. The program also actively encouraged women such as Georgieva to participate in the courses, nurturing their talents and allowing them to thrive.

Likewise, Samsung is committed to focus on raising women up through education. Stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for more inspiring stories about how Samsung Innovation Campus is creating a new generation of diverse leaders in tech around the world.

In order to help those children who are bravely challenging themselves to forge a better path in their local communities, the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow initiative has been lending its support. Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, launched in 2010, is a creativity contest designed to raise awareness of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) topics that encourage students to address their community’s societal issues with innovative, STEM-based solutions. Since 2010, more than 1.69 million students and teachers from over 20 countries around the world have participated in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, helping to turn ideas into actions through the power of creative solutions.

After that one fateful day in 2018, what innovative solutions to road safety were those middle school students able to devise after meeting with transportation safety experts and receiving programming training? Check out the video below to learn more about the story of the students at Holly Grove Middle School, who, along with Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, are making the world a little safer.

Technology has heralded an age in which everyone has access to education. It doesn’t matter what your nationality is, you still have the ability to learn—whether you’re a student learning something new or a teacher trying to improve the quality of the classes they teach. Technology helps to close gaps in learning and reduces intolerance as people become more exposed to other cultures. It also encourages the whole world to be more curious and open.

Inspired by this, SELA employees organized an event that would celebrate Samsung’s 2018 Global Volunteer Festival. To promote cultural harmony and inclusion among public schools, they formed an initiative called “eSTEMos Juntos” (Let’s be together!), which would teach children and youths how to incorporate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) in their day-to-day lives.

Volunteers in action in Costa Rica (left) and Guatemala (right)

Volunteers equipped with Samsung Galaxy tablets and STEM interactive educational tools were positioned at four stations in each participating school. At each station the children would engage in fun and dynamic activities to learn about the cultural diversity of Latin America and the importance of inclusion.

SELA volunteers in Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Costa Rica conducted educational and interactive MiniLabs, which instructed and engaged around 700 youths from public schools in disadvantaged areas.

The Panama team getting ready to start work

In one part of the program, there was a station for Rich Musical Rhythms, which gave students the opportunity to explore the musical rhythms of different regions. It also encouraged the children to compose music using a combination of traditional instruments and the digital instruments available on Samsung tablets.

Volunteers teaching music to students in Guatemala (top) and Costa Rica (bottom)

There was another station for History and Geography, which consisted of a memory game using an app designed for the activity. This allowed children to test their knowledge about the diversity of geographical sites and learn about the rich cultural pasts of different countries.

Costa Rica (left) and Panama (right) volunteers explaining an activity

The third station was set up for Traditional Games, which encouraged the children to play games from other nationalities and regions. Volunteers and students would select a traditional game from their country to play and have some fun. Then, they would explain how to play the game by creating a short video with the tablets. The idea was to share all of these games with students who were also participating in “eSTEMos Juntos” in other countries.

The final station was Electrical Circuit Creation. This station was dedicated to teaching students one of the fundamental principles of technology—how electricity works. Students learned about the seemingly magical world of electricity and how to create electrical circuits with clay and cables.

Volunteers taught children how to set up simple electrical circuits, short circuits, parallel circuits, and series circuits. They also assured the children that they could be part of the technology industry regardless of their background—all they had to do was learn.

Children creating electrical circuits in Costa Rica (left) and Nicaragua (right)

The day ended in high spirits and there was a small celebration for the children and volunteers.

The Guatemalan team celebrating with the students

This event was carried out with the support of the international non-profit organization, Plan International, which is a strategic and operational partner of Samsung’s corporate citizenship programs in SELA. It was also part of the annual Samsung Global Volunteer Festival held in October, a broader approach for Samsung employees to positively impact communities around them.

Q&A with Principal Gail Doney of Wallarano Primary School, Victoria, Australia sheds light on equality issues in access to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education
and how help from the private sector can help.

Educational inequality is an issue many communities struggle with. While the symptoms are usually the result of a number of factors, students with less access to education are less likely to develop skills that will be critical in the future workforce.

To help address this issue, Samsung Electronics Australia and Social Ventures Australia (SVA) have expanded the Bright Spots Schools Connection initiative to include the STEM Learning Hub – an initiative that brings STEM expertise and support to schools in communities across Australia where resources are most needed.

Students of the Wallarano Primary School in Victoria, Australia, engage with digital devices in their classroom

Wallarano Primary School, a large multicultural school situated in Victoria, is one of 48 schools that are part of SVA’s Bright Spots Schools Connection. Wallarano is unique in that it services a culturally rich community of 689 students from over 40 different nations. Among these students, 69% are from a non-English speaking background. Over the last year, teachers and students from Wallarano have been exploring Samsung technology in the classroom.

Samsung Newsroom asked Wallarano’s Principal Gail Doney how she has personally seen the teachers and students benefit as a result of being part of the STEM Learning Hub:

Q. Why do you think programs like the STEM Learning Hub and partnerships like the Samsung/SVA collaboration are so important to the advancement of education?

Education and the private sector need to work together in this time of rapid change. Schools must stay in tune with the future skills and capabilities that young people will need to be successful in the future. Working with Samsung has provided many advantages for our school, particularly by exposing our students to the latest classroom technologies. Our involvement in the STEM Learning Hub has also connected us with like-minded professionals to share different views and perspectives on how to best implement STEM.

Q. Do you think the learning outcomes and experiences of your students have improved as a result of being involved in the STEM Learning Hub?

Most certainly – in fact, our 2017 NAPLAN results showed that 39% students had made a relative gain in Numeracy and over a quarter of our students in Grade 3 (29.4%) and Grade 5 (27.2%) were in the top two bands.

When assessed on the Victorian Curriculum in June this year Wallarano students showed improvements across all areas of learning:

• Digital Technologies 96% at or above the expected level with 32% of student 1 year ahead of the expected level (compared to 94% at or above in 2017 with only 9.8% of students 1 year ahead of the expected level)
• Numeracy 85% at or above expected level (compared to 66.5% in 2017)
• Measurement and Geometry 88% at or above the expected level (compared to 75.3%% in 2017)
• Statistics and probability 92% at or above the expected level (compared to 66% in 2017)
• Science Understanding 93% at or above expected level (compared to 88.5% in 2017)
• Science Inquiry 92% at or above expected level (compared to 88.5% in 2017)

Last year, two Grade 3 girls won 1^st place in Australia in the Wonder League Robotics Competition for their age group which was a highlight for all of us at Wallarano.

Two Grade 3 girls won 1st place in Australia in the 2016/17 Wonder League Robotics Competition

What has been most rewarding for us is that the children themselves are telling us that they are more engaged. 88% of students indicated in a school survey that the Digital Sandpit was their favorite school activity.

Q. Prior to being involved in the STEM Learning Hub, what challenges did you face as a teacher?

As teachers, we faced big questions like – What is STEM? What technologies do we need? What is the best way to introduce and implement STEM to ensure a high-quality program at all levels in the primary school setting.

Being involved in the STEM Learning Hub has really helped us to answer these questions by understanding how specific technologies can enrich the learning experience not only for students, but also for teachers.

Q. Why do you think technology is such an important part of learning development and educational experiences?

Technology is embedded in all areas of society and children must know how they work and why, not just how to use them. Students need to have knowledge, skills and capabilities in STEM and design thinking to enable them to enter professions relevant to the modern world – so it is imperative we are setting them up for future success.

Wallarano students in their Digital Sandpit, where staff and students can play, experiment and give each other small challenges to tackle with digital technologies

Q. How have you been incorporating Samsung technology and other technologies in the classroom?

We extensively use the Galaxy Books, the 360 cameras and Samsung phones for Virtual Reality experiences in the classroom. We run a weekly session called the Digital Sandpit where staff and students can play, experiment and give each other small challenges with Samsung technology and equipment such as 3D printers, Laser Cutters and Robotics. Meanwhile, we are also beginning to use the 360 cameras to give teachers visual references of their practice which we then use to give constructive feedback.

From STEM to STE-A-M: Incorporating Aesthetic Learning in Technology-Intensive STEM Curricula

Launched in 2017, the STAR UP program aims to inject new educational concepts throughout Taiwan with a focus on aesthetic(美感) education and ‘for-living’ philosophy. It promotes STE-A-M (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) education that integrates the aesthetic into the traditional STEM focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Since 2014, Samsung Electronics Taiwan has established 15 SMART Schools, and in 2017, further expanded the reach to 3 hospitals.

“Samsung is committed to meaningfully contributing to local education in Taiwan through our unique efforts in education-related citizenship which aim to provide more holistic, accessible, and ultimately impactful learning,” said Jungjoo Lee, President, Samsung Electronics Taiwan. “Through our on- and off-line SMART Schools, and the simultaneous infusion of innovative hardware and software resources, we aim to help educators expand beyond conventional approaches in broadening the horizons of Taiwan’s children.”

New STAR UP Online Courses Focus on Cultivation of Personal Skills

The new STAR UP online multimedia courses are centered around six core focuses to help children cultivate skills related to managing emotions and interpersonal skills; philosophy and critical thinking; and technology and autonomous learning. Other skills include aesthetics and perception; interdisciplinary and problem-solving skills; and life and character. The online courses, hosted by educational experts, will begin being offered from the second quarter of 2018.

“The utilization of new online technologies facilitates the realization of personalized learning and creates opportunities of multidimensional development for children with different backgrounds, abilities, interests, and characteristics,” said Amy Ho, CEO at CommonWealth Education. “We believe that cooperation with Samsung Electronics Taiwan will inject new vitality into Taiwanese education, ensuring that every child derives maximum benefits from education.”

In addition to the new online courses, Samsung Electronics Taiwan plans to continue its cooperation with various education-related partners in Taiwan, through activities including physical workshops and seminars, to inject more resources into enhancing Taiwanese education.

• From left to right: Wang Shufen (writer), Jungjoo Lee (Vice President, Samsung Electronics Taiwan), Amy Ho (CEO, CommonWealth Education), and Chen Chongwen (creative director, Good Design Institute)

• Jungjoo Lee (Vice President, Samsung Electronics Taiwan) and Amy Ho (CEO, CommonWealth Education) pose at an event to announce the two entities’ collaboration for 6 online courses

• Exhibition highlight at the Samsung SMART School, CommonWealth collaboration announcement

Yet—worryingly to many educators and even economists—many students lack an interest in STEM subjects. One challenge is that students don’t necessarily see the variety of work opportunities STEM skills can lead to. To address this gap, Samsung Electronics Australia and Questacon—The National Science and Technology Centre—launched Creators Wanted, an educational resource that shows students the importance of STEM skills and increases awareness of the relevance of these subject matters.

Reaching Youth Where they are: Web and Video

But how do you reach a youth population and encourage them to take up STEM subjects in their schools and universities? Through video and the web of course. Creators Wanted is using video content featuring celebrities to grab students’ attention and encourage their curiosity in STEM topics, in addition to using a website that helps students select high-school subjects and university courses and see STEM job possibilities.

In one such video, Reynold Poernomo, 2015 MasterChef contestant, highlights the role of STEM skills even in non-traditional STEM careers, like being a chef. For more on how Reynold uses STEM in baking his desserts using the 3D Le Croquembouche, watch this video:

What students must know is that STEM goes beyond science, technology, engineering and mathematics. By inspiring design-thinking and encouraging a practical skillset, Creators Wanted aims to teach students selecting subjects for their senior year at high school, as well as those that are considering tertiary education options, that there are a variety of career options that benefit from these skills.

Jane Lu, founder of Showpo, knows the value of these skills. She has used the problem-solving and hands-on skills she learned from her time studying STEM subjects to grow her Showpo business to the thriving company it is today. To hear more from Jane on how STEM skills benefitted her career, watch the video below.

STEM skills even have a place on the athletic field. Charlotte Caslick, an Olympic gold medalist and Australian Rugby Sevens player, uses technology to improve on-field performance and uses the newest science to inform her training programs. According to Charlotte, the problem-solving and practical skills students learn from STEM work, also empowers them on the field and can help young athletes take their game to the next level. Watch Charlotte engage with STEM on field in the following video:

Helping Build Tomorrow’s Workforce

Creators Wanted, part of Samsung Electronics Australia’s Corporate Social Responsibility portfolio, is helping young people see how STEM subjects can help them develop key skills valued across a varied of different careers—from cooking like Reynold, business acumen such as that of Jane, and athletic empowerment and achievement as demonstrated by Charlotte. These videos are helping students see the importance of STEM and the opportunities it can open. Given that many growing occupations require STEM skills, the work of Creators Wanted is much needed to develop a workforce for tomorrow.

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 today announced that HRH The Duke of Rothesay recently attended the official opening of the Prince’s Trust Scotland Centre in Glasgow, which was created to increase young people’s access to training and employment opportunities.

As part of the grand opening, HRH met a number of young people who have been supported by The Prince’s Trust Scotland, finding out about their journeys with The Prince’s Trust. During the visit, HRH participated in a range of activities including digital pancake cooking, robot building, puppet-making workshops and exploring the Samsung Digital Classroom.

In the last four decades The Prince’s trust has given over 825,000 disadvantaged young people the skills and confidence to find a job. Three in four young people who receive help from The Prince’s Trust move into work, training or education.

Samsung has been a supporter of The Prince’s Trust since 2012 through The Prince’s Trust & Samsung Celebrate Success Awards and has been introducing Digital Classrooms into its Centres.  Each Digital Classroom, equipped with an interactive whiteboard, Galaxy tablets, PCs and digital cameras, creates an enhanced interactive learning environment and gives young people an opportunity to pick up vital digital skills.

Aleyne Johnson, Head of Government Relations and Citizenship, Samsung UK said:

“We are honoured to have received a visit to one of our digital classrooms from HRH The Duke of Rothesay. At Samsung, we are committed to enhancing the lives of young people through technology and for the last three years we have been working hard to establish Digital Classrooms at schools and youth employment centres across the UK, providing young people with access to the tools and technology they need to succeed, as well as teacher training and connectivity, with the aim of making lessons more enjoyable and engaging.”

Samsung is continuing to work closely with The Prince’s Trust to introduce technology initiatives, embedding digital and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) skills across its programmes. In addition to Glasgow, Samsung Digital Classrooms have been opened at The Trust’s centres in Stoke-on-Trent and Kennington in London.

About Samsung’s Citizenship Programmes

Samsung is committed to help close the digital divide and skills gap in the UK. Samsung Digital Classrooms in schools, charities/non-profit organisations and cultural partners provide access to the latest technology. Samsung is also providing the training and maintenance support necessary to help make the transition and integration of the new technology as smooth as possible.  Samsung also offers qualifications and training in technology for young people and teachers through its Digital Academies in London and Birmingham. These initiatives will inspire young people, staff and teachers to learn and teach in new exciting ways and to help encourage young people into careers using technology.

Find out more: www.samsung.com/uk/citizenship

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

For the first time in six years, Samsung has the honor of having two Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) Contest winners participate in the annual White House Science Fair. These students from Horizon Middle School in Aurora, Colorado, and Mission Valley ROP/James Logan High School in Freemont, California, will be among the lucky students representing 40 other schools across the country.

Both schools are among the five national winners of the 2016 Solve for Tomorrow Contest.

During today’s event, Horizon Middle School students from Aurora, Colorado will present their design for comfortable, cost-effective prosthetic enhancements to aid veteran amputees in their community. The Mission Valley/James Logan High School students will display their solution to a transportation problem in the form of a fully-functional solar-powered electric vehicle charging station prototype.

In the sixth and final year of the science fair under the Obama Administration, students will showcase their ingenuity and knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects through their innovative projects and experiments designed to address some of the nation’s greatest challenges.

Beginning in 2010, the White House Science Fair has honored American student inventors by inviting them to showcase their amazing projects and discoveries that span everything and anything you can imagine from robots to rockets to protective polymers and catapults.

Samsung helped transform the Lachman Family STEM Center at the Boys & Girls Club of Newark into a high-tech Tween Tech Center offering Club members a modern and comfortable place to learn STEM after school hours. The space is outfitted with Samsung Galaxy Tablets loaded with a STEM-focused curriculum designed specifically for middle school-aged youth at Boys & Girls Clubs. Samsung also incorporated some of its other technologies, including Samsung 65” TVs and Samsung Level On headsets.

“The disparity in access to STEM education is a critical issue that needs to be address in our community,” said Kavita Mehra, interim chief executive officer at Boys & Girls Club of Newark. “Thanks to Samsung’s investment in the Club and the community, Boys & Girls Club of Newark will be able to provide nearly 1,000 members with the best opportunities in STEM education so that they are empowered to achieve their greatest potential.”

Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins was in attendance.

Newark’s Tween Tech Center will be the twelfth made possible at Clubs across the United States by the partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and Samsung Electronics America. Over the past two years, BGCA and Samsung have created Tween Tech Centers at Clubs across the country, serving more than 11,000 members with a custom curriculum called Building Blocks that was developed by Scholastic and uploaded to the Samsung Galaxy tabs donated to the Clubs. Boys & Girls Clubs of America held its last surprise tech makeover in Monterey, California on December 11, 2015. Samsung has also pledged to disperse an additional 600 tablets to other Clubs around the country by this spring.

Click here to view our latest Tween Tech Center makeovers.

“We believe in the power of STEM education and empowering young minds to embrace the skills that will prepare them for careers in the digital age,” said Ann Woo, senior director of corporate citizenship at Samsung Electronics America. “The Tween Tech Center is a resource that helps brings the kids’ learning and new ideas to life. It also gives them a chance to interact and bond with fellow members who share similar interests.”

At Boys & Girls Clubs, Samsung employees have worked together to clean and reorganize facilities, including sprucing up outside landscapes and organizing supplies, to foster an engaging and safe environment for students during the company’s semiannual Day of Service program. Also, Gregory Lee, the President and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America, was honored with the William “Jazz” Jones Award at the Boys & Girls Club of Newark’s annual Evening of the Stars gala last night.

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 the company’s work with Boys & Girls Clubs in Newark, Samsung is also supporting New Jersey communities through other local and national programs, including emPower Tomorrow and its Solve for Tomorrow contest.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,000 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://www.bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.

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.

In partnership with STEM Fuse and Tidebreak, Samsung Electronics America, at TCEA 2016 announced two new education solutions to enhance science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum, and create more collaborative learning spaces. These new solutions will be showcased at the Samsung booth #1132 at the Austin Convention Center from February 3-5.

“As schools bring more devices into the classroom, it’s important to evaluate the technology and the curriculum together,” said Ted Brodheim, vice president of Vertical Business at Samsung Electronics America.  “Learning devices become truly powerful when paired with dynamic, interactive content and engaging curriculum. We understand the need to simultaneously adopt hardware and content to successfully transform classrooms and impact student outcomes, and we’re committed to collaborating with innovative education providers like STEM Fuse and Tidebreak to develop affordable solutions that help schools reimagine teaching and learning.”

Closing the STEM Gap

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that STEM employment will increase by more than one million jobs between 2012 and 2022. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Education reported that only 16 percent of high school seniors are interested in pursuing STEM careers, and the majority of students are performing below proficient levels in STEM subjects and are unprepared for college-level courses. To combat these low percentages, schools should take a more engaging approach to STEM instruction.

STEM Fuse and Samsung are working together to help address the STEM learning gap in K-12 schools with a new solution that helps educators integrate STEM curriculum into their classrooms, labs or after school programs. The multisensory solution combines STEM Fuse’s digital curriculum with Samsung Galaxy Tablets to get students excited about STEM, helping them to better understand and apply concepts. The solution can be integrated into core teaching or used as supplemental curriculum, and also comes with comprehensive professional development to help teachers effectively incorporate it into their classrooms.

STEM Fuse is a leading provider of STEM curriculum in the U.S. and is taught in all 50 states in alliance with state and national standards. Offered in packages of 10, the bundled solution includes:

• A choice of STEM Fuse STEM PACK licenses or STEAM Pack licenses with reading curriculum for 90 days for each device
• 10 Samsung Galaxy TAB E 9.6 devices
• Complimentary virtual professional development

“We had been looking for a hardware partner for awhile and then selected Samsung based on the quality of their products and ease of use for teachers and students,” said Carter Tatge, founder and CEO of STEM Fuse. “With Samsung’s hardware and our curriculum, it’s a peanut butter and jelly solution. We really liked Samsung Chromebooks and Galaxy Tablets as they fit course material very well. The ability to offer an easy to use bundle with attractive pricing for schools is really game changing.”

Mike Kania, a business and technology teacher at Nicolet High School in Glendale, Wisconsin has been using the solution and shared, “With STEM Fuse curriculum and Samsung Galaxy Tablets, we’ve been able to create a brand new program. We have two courses based on the solution where students are able to learn computer programming and test apps using STEM Fuse and Samsung’s Galaxy Tablets. The solution makes the process much quicker and students can easily use and see the programming applications on the Galaxy Tablets. Students in other departments are now evaluating the solution such as engineering and science.”

Latricia Donahue, a Spanish and computer science teacher at The Venture Academy Family of Schools in Stockton, CA has also been using the solution and commented, “One of the main benefits of using the STEM Fuse and Samsung solution is that it helps facilitate collaboration and creativity. The ability for students to work with their peers on the same document is huge. They can even collaborate with students in another class for instance and I can provide students with more immediate feedback. Since implementing the solution, both parents and students are more interested in seeing what we have to offer with our 1:1 program.”

Developing More Collaborative Learning Spaces

Today’s learners are digital natives and thrive in technology-driven environments. In partnership with Tidebreak, Samsung is helping schools and colleges convert classrooms into state-of-the-art collaborative learning spaces. Combining Tidebreak’s powerful collaboration software with Samsung large-format and interactive displays (LFD), this bring-your-own-device compatible solution enables peer-to-peer collaboration and co-creation of content on a single screen. Student devices – including laptops, tablets and smartphones – can connect wirelessly, allowing them to quickly share content and freely exchange ideas, while educators can easily facilitate the experience. Conceptualized at Stanford University, Tidebreak is designed for collaborative learning in K-12 and higher education. Each new bundle includes: 

• Samsung Large Format Displays and/or E-boards, selected to provide an optimum experience for each type of learning space
• 30 day license for one of Tidebreak’s collaboration software options: ClassSpot, ClassSpot PBL or TeamSpot, depending on instructional needs

“With the bundle, we wanted to create an offering that was both meaningful for collaboration and motivates students to want to learn,” said Andrew Milne, Ph.D., CEO of Tidebreak.“The solution goes beyond just wireless presentations with the co-creation of content that works to transform the learning experience. It’s a simple solution that radically improves performance, making it easy to go from a standard classroom into an advanced learning space for students and teachers.”

The Tidebreak and STEM Fuse solutions will be available by the end of February. Both solutions will be showcased at the Samsung booth at TCEA this week alongside Samsung’s full suite of education products and solutions, including three new solutions unveiled at FETC: a Chromebook conversion solution with Neverware, Classroom in a Box with McGraw-Hill Education, and the SMART amp and Chromebook collaboration solution.

Attendees at TCEA can also learn more during a number of hosted sessions in Mezzanine 8. These include the following:

Wednesday, February 3

Thursday, February 4

Friday, February 5

More information on Samsung’s full technology portfolio for education is available at www.samsung.com/us/education

Previously used as a storage space at the after-school club, the new Tween Tech Center aims to equip middle school students with the tools they need for a successful future in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)—fields where achievement gaps have widened substantially over the past couple decades. These disparities are often due to socioeconomic factors, as well as students’ lack of exposure to STEM curriculum and role models.

Closing Learning Gaps in STEM Education

The highly digitalized space features colorful and engaging work and reading stations club members can utilize during after-school hours. It is also outfitted with more than 40 Samsung Galaxy tablets and laptops that allow students to access a customized STEM-focused curriculum—one the students might not otherwise have the exposure to in their schools.

Christina Jones, a 13-year-old who hopes to major in engineering and work for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, was most impressed by the devices and how they allow her “to explore more of the world with just the touch of her fingertips.”

The latest Tween Tech Center is part of an ongoing effort of Samsung and BGCA to deliver technology, customized curricula and new learning spaces that enable youth to explore and learn more about STEM. In the past two years, the initiative has reached more than 11,000 Club members across the United States. Samsung will also disperse an additional 600 tablets to other Clubs around the country by the spring of 2016.

Opening Doors to a Bright Future

“Samsung believes it’s our responsibility to inspire passion about STEM subjects early in students’ lives with the hope that they will pursue them as university majors, and ultimately viable career paths,” said Ann Woo, senior director of corporate citizenship at Samsung Electronics North America. “By putting these cutting-edge resources in the hands of Boys & Girls Clubs’ staff members, they’ll be better positioned to effectively instruct and nurture the interest in STEM among the middle school population outside regular classroom hours.”

Congresswoman Judy Chu, U.S. Representative for California’s 27th Congressional District, also noted the critical importance of STEM education endeavors like those Samsung is making.

“America is lagging behind the rest of the developed world in the STEM fields, threatening our leadership role in the future,” she stated. “Exposure to and opportunities with these new technologies for our youth today can change that. When every child who has an interest in STEM has the opportunity and resources they need, the possibilities for our future are bright.”

It’s the opportunities and resources like the ones Congresswoman Chu talked of that Samsung and BGCA hope to continue to offer, lessening the disparities in today’s STEM education.

In addition to Samsung’s work with Boys & Girls Clubs in the Los Angeles area, Samsung is also supporting the community through other local initiatives, including its emPOWER Tomorrow and Ready, Set, Gold! programs.

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

The students experienced a wide variety of STEM activities, ranging from analyzing cave walls to determine past climate patterns to learning how to code mobile apps and exploring the relationship between technology and physical fitness. Many said they were exposed to fields of STEM they never knew existed and were excited about the possibility of exploring those fields in college.

While I had the pleasure of witnessing the students engage with the program on many levels, one thing that stood out to me was how these students expressed interest in things outside of the curriculum.

For instance, Denzel, who begins his freshman year at Trenton High School this fall, was very concerned about his career. He asked me lots of questions such as what I did for Samsung and how I got there, intrigued by the seven years I spent as a middle school teacher. But one of his questions that really stuck with me was: “Is it ok that I don’t know what I want to do with my career?”

I told him that he had plenty of time to figure that out and programs like Summer Science are important because they help students like him do just that. By exposing them to a wide variety of fields that are available for them to study, Samsung makes it a point to help young people explore opportunities they may not have had otherwise.

The program culminated in an awards luncheon at the end of the week where every student presented a storyboard of what they learned. All students were awarded a completion certificate with their families and program facilitators in attendance.

Samsung also awarded $2,500 scholarships to two college-bound alumni of the Summer Science: Talia Lawrence and Aliyah Jackson. Talia, who attended the program for two summers, will begin her freshman year at Saint Michaels College this fall to study biology. Aliyah, a three-year veteran of Summer Science, will begin college at Rowan University to study forensic science.

There is a great sense of pride in knowing that the place where I work makes possible such scholarships for students who have a passion for STEM. I look forward to many more opportunities to reward hard-working students through my role in Samsung’s Citizenship efforts.

Peshine Avenue Elementary erupted into cheers, applause and high-fives as Samsung surprised students and faculty with a $50,000 technology grant to enhance and increase science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning at the New Jersey school.

The good news came at the end of a very happy occasion: the graduation ceremony honoring the young ladies who had completed a pilot program called emPOWER Tomorrow, which aims to inspire fourth- and fifth-grade girls to pursue careers in engineering and computer science through role models and hands-on activities.

Designed to introduce students to the people, technologies and processes behind the software and hardware that power their daily experiences, emPOWER Tomorrow was first piloted at the Miller Street School in Newark, N.J., in the spring of 2014, then at Peshine Avenue Elementary School in the fall. Peshine’s December graduation ceremony was made especially notable, not only by the surprise grant, but also by honored attendees such as U.S. Senator Cory Booker.

“The United States must lead the globe in technology research and development, and we can’t do that if we don’t train and attract the best engineers, scientists, and researchers,” said Booker. “STEM education in America is falling behind other nations, but engagement from the private sector, like we’re seeing today from Samsung’s announcement, is helping to turn that tide as we work to prioritize federal investment.”
emPOWER Tomorrow is part of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow initiative which aims to engage students nationwide in active, hands-on STEM learning. The program is one of several that Samsung supports in the U.S. to engage the next generation of female leaders in STEM subjects and careers.

“At Samsung, we believe that engaging youth in science, technology, engineering and math is critical to ensuring that tomorrow’s leaders are interested in and prepared for some of the careers that lie ahead,” said Samsung Executive Vice President David Steel. “We have seen tremendous results from the emPOWER Tomorrow pilot programs, and we’re looking forward to watching Peshine Avenue Elementary School continue to build on that success.”

In addition to Newark, emPOWER Tomorrow has now expanded in 2015 with programs across the U.S. in New York City, Chicago, Sacramento and Los Angeles.