DETROIT – Samsung announced 300 public schools have been named State Finalists in the 13th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition – and six schools in Michigan were selected. Representing the best of more than one thousand competition entrants, each State Finalist has won a package of $2,500 in technology and school supplies.

The Michigan State Finalists are:

  • Washtenaw Technical Middle College in Ann Arbor, MI
  • John R. King Performing Arts and Elementary School in Detroit, MI
  • Renaissance High School in Detroit, MI
  • Garber High School in Essexville, MI
  • Capital Area K12 Online in Lansing, MI
  • Trillium Academy in Taylor, MI

These State Finalists advance to additional stages of the national competition that will culminate in three schools being selected in May as National Winners, and receive $100,000 prize packages. The full list of State Finalists can be found here.

Solve for Tomorrow challenges U.S. public middle and high school students to explore the role STEM can play in solving some of the biggest issues in their local communities. The competition engages students in active, hands-on learning that can be applied to real-world problems – making STEM more tangible and showcasing its value beyond the classroom.
Students participating in this year’s competition have boldly entered their game-changing ideas to tackle geopolitical matters (Ukraine), climate change, school safety, personal safety, mental health, school bus commuting, and more.

Next Steps

  • Teachers and students at each State Finalist school across the country are now asked to submit lesson plans detailing how their proposed STEM project will address the identified community issue.

  • Based on those plans, 50 State Winners will be selected to receive a prize of $20,000 in technology and supplies and advance to the next phase of the competition. Each State Winner will also be given a video kit to help document their project in action.

  • One of the 50 State Winners will also be named the Sustainability Innovation Award Winner, receiving an additional $50,000 prize package of eco-conscious classroom technology.

  • From those video submissions, 10 National Finalists will be chosen to pitch their project to a team of judges. Seven National Finalists will each receive a $50,000 prize package and three National Winners will each be awarded the ultimate prize package worth $100,000.

  • Of the 10 National Finalists, one Community Choice Winner will be named through online public voting, winning an additional $10,000 in Samsung technology, and one Employee Choice Winner will be selected by Samsung employees to also receive $10,000 of technology in addition to their national winnings.

More information on the competition and competition phases is also available at: www.samsung.com/us/solvefortomorrow.