By Harmony Belle Devoe and Jane Schaefer
Harwood Samsung Challenge Participants! From left to right: Sydney Schaller, Camille Edgcomb, Cora Potts, David Rodgers, Jesse Carst, Claire Nagurney, Dahlia Jordan, Lena Tautfest, and Harmony Devoe. Not shown are Ben Goldhammer and Jane Schaefer.
There is a yearly competition for 7 to 12 graders called the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Challenge. This year 7th grade science teacher Mrs. Selvaggio formed a group of 7th graders to compete.
For this challenge, kids nationwide need to find a problem in their community to fix using STEM and sustainability. They have to design a solution and make a prototype. The HUMS group tossed around ideas such as problems with crosswalks, not enough bike lanes, wildlife getting into trash, land and food rights for people of color in Vermont, tourism, or peecycling.
After lots of debate, they decided to design bear-proof trash, recycling, and compost receptacles for outdoor public places in the Mad River Valley like Blueberry Lake, Lareau farms, and other popular trailheads and swim holes. The trash/recycling/compost cans will have signage informing people about sustainability and the importance of recycling and composting.
Mrs. Selvaggio submitted an explanation of the problem and solution to the judges at Samsung. She then received an email informing them they had been selected as the state winner!
“When we won, we read the email telling us we won projected onto the whiteboard. Some people hugged, some people yelled out of joy and shock, and some people just smiled and said "Yay!" When I finished reading the email I laughed and then said ‘Well, that's cool!’” said Harmony Devoe, a co-student leader of the group.
“Our reaction to finding out we won was really funny, everyone was just staring at the email not knowing how to respond. We were just sitting in silence until the moment of realization came that we had won,” Cora Potts, a student member of the group tells us.
Harwood Middle will receive $6,500 of new technology for competing in round 2 and bringing their idea to a completed project. They will build their prototype and submit it along with a video explaining their solution by early March, and hopefully become national winners. National finalists will win $50,000 in Samsung technology. The 3 National winners will win $100,000 of Samsung technology for their school.
On Friday, January 7th, the group met online with Eric Friedman who is the executive director of the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Ira Shadis, part of Friends of the Mad River. They both work for Steward MRV as well. Steward MRV is a new initiative started by Eric to instill a greater sense of stewardship for outdoor recreational areas in the Mad River Valley.
“Everyone on the Samsung Challenge team is working hard and sacrificing their personal time to benefit Harwood Union Middle School. I think with this group we can go far!” says David Rodgers, co-student leader.
Everyone is excited to see this passionate group’s idea come to fruition in the coming months!