Barker Middle School announced today that it is an Indiana state finalist in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest, a nationwide competition to increase interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by challenging teachers and students to take topics out of traditional classroom settings and into local communities. In addition to being awarded two Galaxy® Tabs, Barker Project Lead the Way instructor Gary Gray has received a professional development course from PBS TeacherLine.
Barker Principal Dr. Mohamed Mroueh noted that this is the second year the school has reached the State finals in the contest. "We are excited to be one of only five schools in Indiana to be honored," he said. "Projects like this are engaging our students in hands-on activities related to STEM, showing them real-world applications of what they're learning in the classroom."
Barker was honored for a proposal submitted by teacher Gary Gray that uses STEM to address a community infrastructure project. During the next phase of the competition, Gray will create a detailed lesson plan, in which students in Barker Gateway (pre-engineering) classes will study Michigan City roads, bridges, and utilities and will create a video report on problems they see. They will meet with city officials to discuss how the infrastructure issues can be addressed.
The 51 state winners of the Solve for Tomorrow contest will be announced later this month. They will receive a Samsung camcorder and laptop to create a video showcasing their solution to the challenge. In addition, state winners will receive $20,000 in technology for their schools. Fifteen of the state winners will be profiled online for public voting, and national finalists will receive additional technology grants and other awards.
Barker Middle School serves more than 500 Michigan City students in grades 7 and 8. Its STEM Academy utilizes the Project Lead the Way program, and coursework includes topics such as Design and Modeling, Digital Art, Automation and Robotics, and Green Architecture.
To learn more about the Solve for Tomorrow competition and past winners, visit www.samsung.com/solve.