About the Contest:

Selected from thousands of entries nationwide, Washington Island School on Washington Island has been named the Wisconsin state winner in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest for its proposed plan to address Wastewater Treatment.

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest encourages teachers and students to solve real-world issues in their community using classroom skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This year classrooms identified issues that are unique to their communities – such as contaminated water, emergency relief in the face of natural disasters, and access to proper food and resources – as well as critical societal issues that are impacting classrooms nationwide, such as the topics of mental health, school shootings, vaping, bullying, homelessness, and veteran care.

Washington Island School is among the nation’s 50 state winners (representing all 50 states) and will receive $20,000* in technology for its achievement. The school will also receive a Samsung video kit to create and submit a three-minute video showcasing their project development and how it addresses the issue in hopes of advancing to the next phase of the contest and win additional prizes and educational opportunities.

“The scale and importance of the issues addressed in this year’s contest reflect how students are taking responsibility for their role as change agents for the future,” said Ann Woo, senior director of corporate citizenship, Samsung Electronics America. “These state winners and trailblazing teachers and students are taking action to create tangible solutions and promote positive change. Samsung is proud to support their vision for a brighter future and looks forward to seeing how they will use imagination and creativity with complex technologies such as VR and 3D printing to bring these projects to life.”

About the School:

Wisconsin State Winner and Details:

• Washington Island School District, on Washington Island (WI)
• Teacher, Mrs. Miranda Dahlke, and her Eighth Grade students

About the School’s Project:

Local Problem: Washington Island is a year-round Door County tourist destination hotspot. The heaviest tourist traffic is felt during the summer-fall months. Winter’s tend to be quieter, with a number of tourists who visits during the colder season. This island way of life creates a “summertime season of waste” versus a “wintertime season of waste. The island community is challenged in terms of the treatment of greywater, sewage, and by-product management from septic systems.

Proposed Project: The team of students will need to consider what the Washington Island Wastewater Advisory Committee has proposed as solutions to treat wastewater, and the consideration of the short and long-term effects the impact of these solutions would have on the island.

Future Contest Phases:

All 50 state winners will work on their projects and submit their three-minute video in hopes of advancing in the contest’s remaining phases:

• National finalists: 10 national finalists will be selected to attend a Pitch Event in the spring where they will present their project to a panel of judges. For achieving national finalist status, 7 schools will receive a $50,000* Samsung technology package. The other three will progress to the national winner stage
• National grand prize winners: 3 national winners will be selected, and each will receive a $100,000* Samsung technology package
• Community Choice Award: The general public will elect one winner from the 10 national finalists who will be eligible to win an additional $10,000 Samsung technology package

Interview Opportunities:

Mrs. Dahlke and her students are available for interviews about the local issue they’re working to solve and the importance of hands-on STEM learning.

Media Contact:

For questions about the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, please reach out to SamsungSFT@allisonpr.com. For questions about the school’s project, please reach out to miranda.dahlke@island.k12.wi.us