Area schools advance in challenge

Two local schools are among 150 regional finalists moving on to the next round of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Challenge.

The schools are Dorothy Dalgliesh School in Picture Butte and Winston Churchill High School in Lethbridge.

The challenge asked Canadian students from Grades 6 through 12 to identify issues in their local communities and develop solutions using science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

These 150 regional finalists now move closer to being awarded one of four $20,000 Samsung technology grant packages as a regional winner as well as an exclusive event with Canadian rocket scientist Natalie Panek.

Panek is a Forbes '30 Under 30’, and member of a Canadian contingent working on the European Space Agency's ExoMars rover.

"STEM is in everything I do," said Panek in a recent news release.

"A career in STEM carries boundless opportunities."

"These 150 regional finalists embody what Solve for Tomorrow is all about: innovation, teamwork and a commitment to the future of Canadian communities,” stated Mark Childs, Chief Brand Officer, Samsung Canada.

“As we celebrate Canada's 150th this year, we are excited to see inspired student solutions come to life that will have local, national and even global implications.”

Each of the 150 regional finalist schools, including the Churchill Robotics and Dorothy Dalgliesh School team, will receive a Samsung technology package, which includes a Samsung Gear VR, Galaxy Tab A, Galaxy S7, and Samsung Gear360 camera to assist the team in completing the next assignment as part of the Challenge : documenting the implementation of a community solution in a three-minute video.

Videos will be reviewed by a panel of judges, with the top-scoring four schools being named regional winners in June 2017.

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Challenge seeks to inspire STEM interest and 21st century learning opportunities in Canadian classrooms.

This is an area of issue, as less than half of Canadian high school students graduate with senior STEM courses though 70 per cent of top jobs require expertise in science, technology, engineering and math.