{"id":62040,"date":"2023-08-02T10:00:11","date_gmt":"2023-08-02T14:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.samsung.com\/us\/?p=62040"},"modified":"2024-03-04T15:28:53","modified_gmt":"2024-03-04T20:28:53","slug":"solve-for-tomorrow-oped-its-not-easy-being-a-stem-competition-judge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.samsung.com\/us\/solve-for-tomorrow-oped-not-easy-being-stem-competition-judge-harry-preston\/","title":{"rendered":"Solve for Tomorrow OpEd: It\u2019s Not Easy Being a STEM Competition Judge"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an Opinion column for STEM SmartBrief, a STEM education media outlet, Harry Preston,<\/a> who helped judge this year\u2019s Solve for Tomorrow national STEM competition<\/a> for public middle and high school students, writes that the hardest part of judging a student STEM competition<\/a> is \u201ckeeping your judge hat on\u201d and not slipping back into teacher mode<\/a>. Judging the final round<\/a> of the 13th<\/sup> annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow<\/a> competition, it was difficult for him to contain his excitement about what these kids were working on<\/a> and how innovative they were.<\/p>\n

Asked about common themes among the ten projects<\/a> that were being pitched by the competition\u2019s National Finalists<\/a>, Harry replied that there was an overarching theme \u2013 \u201cFind a need, Fill a need.\u201d These teams were identifying problems and issues that were of concern to them and their communities and, in that process, they typically developed a solution that had global implications.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\n\t\t\"Solve\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n

A look at the final student pitches<\/a> shows several clear trends to the Computer Science Teacher at Green Street Academy in Baltimore and past three-time Samsung Solve for Tomorrow<\/a> State Winner and one-time National Finalist:<\/p>\n