The Samsung emPOWER Tomorrow Awards and Showcase was held on Monday, April 3 at Miami’s Lakeview Elementary School. Twenty five fourth and fifth-grade girls graduated from Samsung’s emPOWER Tomorrow program, and were honored for completing STEM-focused projects. The 14-week program and after school initiative encourages young girls to become interested in and pursue opportunities in computer science and electrical engineering.

Hosted by Samsung’s Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship, Ann Woo, the event showcased the STEM projects, such as developing “dance party” programming using the Scratch platform and completing an e-sewing kit using conductive thread. The assembly featured an award ceremony to reward participants for their hard work followed by a reception to celebrate with their parents and educators.

Ann Woo had the opportunity to meet and interact with each participant and learn about their project work. Woo also took time to speak to the crowd about the importance of building the next generation of scientists and engineers, particularly women in these roles, and raising interest in STEM subjects. Many students expressed how participation in this program changed their perception of their abilities to succeed, particularly in the areas of science and technology.

As an extension of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, emPOWER Tomorrow introduces girls to the people, technologies and processes behind the software and hardware that they use every day. The students at Lakeview Elementary experimented with these concepts in a safe, fun and hands-on environment to generate interest in these fields, and now join the previous 600 graduates of the program. By year’s end, Samsung expects to add another 350 graduates to their Samsung emPOWER Tomorrow program in its ongoing initiative to bring relatable computer science and electrical engineering experiences to young females.