Shaker High School named state winner in STEM competition

LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Shaker High School was named as New York's state winner in Samsung's Solve for Tomorrow national STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) competition. Shaker is now one of 50 public middle and high schools in the U.S. moving forward to the next phase of the contest.

The 15th annual competition challenges students in grades six through 12 to come up with creative solutions to issues impacting the community. Students used STEM disciplines to take on societal issues like public safety, accessibility, mental health, and environmental sustainability by utilizing technologies such as AI, 3D printing, and robotics in collaborative projects.

"Congratulations to all the incredible State Winners in the 2024-2025 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition," said Allison Stransky, Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung Electronics America. "Solve for Tomorrow was born from Samsung’s deep belief in the power of STEM to improve lives and transform communities. It’s truly inspiring to see these bright Gen Z and Gen Alpha innovators harnessing emerging technologies, with nearly half of their STEM solutions incorporating AI, to address critical societal issues with creativity, determination, and purpose."

Shaker High School's project focuses on youth sleep inertia and developing auto-adjusting LED lights to improve focus in school by helping students be more awake and alert. Each state winner was awarded a $12,000 prize package, including a Samsung Video Kit with a Galaxy Book laptop and a Galaxy Z Flip smartphone.

"These 50 State Winners are recasting the role of STEM in solving matters close to their lives and their communities," said Salman Taufiq, Head of Brand Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. "By addressing real-world issues with empathy and advanced technology like AI, machine learning, drones, and virtual reality, they’re preparing to lead in a rapidly evolving, impact-focused workforce."

All state winners will now aim to become one of 10 national finalists by making a three-minute video pitching their STEM solutions and their applications to a panel of judges by March 6. Finalists will then compete for even more prizes in a live event in April, including a $100,000 award for three national winners.