If there’s one lesson to take away from over one million successful DonorsChoose.org projects, it’s this: Never underestimate teachers and students. With the right tools at their disposal, they have the potential to change the world.We’ve teamed up with Samsung to give 6-12th grade teachers the chance to channel that world-changing energy into positive impact for their hometown. With the Solve for Tomorrow contest, teachers have the chance to win up to $100K in technology for their school by sharing their best ideas to improve their local community through STEM. In addition to the grand prizes, state and national winners will also receive generous STEM funding for their classrooms. The best part? All projects submitted for the contest will get a 50% boost on every donation, turning every $20 donation into $30, or $100 into $150.
Three Ideas to Get You Started
Need inspiration for your big idea? Here are three ways teachers are thinking about the Solve for Tomorrow contest to inspire your entry.1. Students Seeking Solution For Poor Air Quality, from Mr. Vizthum in CaliforniaMy school community is faced with the challenge of poor air quality. Poor air quality leads to quite a few health issues, and it is often difficult to assess how bad the air quality is at any given moment. As part of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest , I hope to provide my students the opportunity to solve this problem.2. Solving the PCS Waste Problem, from Mrs. Flett in HawaiiThe focus of the problem that impacts my students is the amount of waste created during a move... It is my hope that my students can come up with a solution that helps to resolve the amount of paper, plastic wrap, and boxes that are used and decrease the amount of waste and pollution that they typically can cause. By allowing students to try and solve this problem, they are able to build skills in teamwork, solving a real problem in their community.3. Give Us Clean Water, from Mrs. B in MissouriOver the past year our town has had a water quality crises. We have had boil water notices several times. Many students are bringing samples of water to the school for testing and are designing their science fair projects around making clean water for their homes. I have encouraged the observation and testing of the water with all of my students. The students want to test chlorine, nitrate, ammonia, and heavy metals. Students are concerned about the iron levels as well as the concentration of cleaning products used to make the water “safe.”
Teachers Brainstorm Even More Ideas
Teachers have been submitting hundreds of other solutions to local problems. Recently, teachers in our Facebook Community got together on Facebook Live to brainstorm and share their ideas. Check out the video for even more ideas to inspire your Samsung Solve for Tomorrow project:
And here are some of the ideas teachers came up with during that brainstorm:
- Tracking traffic patterns near schools to design better walkways
- Translation software programs and on-site translation applications to accommodate families who don’t speak English as a first language
- Gardens and cooking supports to address food insecurity or food waste
- Accessible ramps and pathways for students with physical disabilities
- Emergency preparedness programs in case of natural disasters
- Evaluating public transportation in the area and creating bike-friendly systems accessible to students
Ready to get a 50% boost on your idea? Submit your Solve for Tomorrow application.
