Samsung Challenges Students Around the World to Tackle Sustainable Development Issues Through STEAM Skills
U.S. students team up with peers from Brazil, China, Korea and Tunisia to present their solutions at the United Nations
NEW YORK, February 5, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today brought teachers and students from 5 countries together at the United Nations to find solutions for sustainable development issues around the globe. As part of the Global Classroom STEAM Challenge, the student teams partnered with international counterparts over the past 10 weeks to develop solutions to issues in their respective communities. Today, at an event at the United Nations headquarters, the teams presented their proposed solutions to a panel of government leaders, non-governmental organizations, educators and corporate leaders.
Focusing on economic, environmental, and social issues, the students were challenged to work collaboratively to use STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) skills to build out possible solutions that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Using a virtual classroom platform developed by IVECA, a non-profit organization that supports international collaborative learning, students worked in tandem to identify issues in their local communities, share perspectives and develop their presentations.
“We wanted to give these students from around the world the opportunity to interact with their peers on issues that transcend their local communities,” said Ann Woo, Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics America. “The goal was to really challenge these students with the how - how can they be innovative in their thinking and use STEAM skills to overcome sustainable development challenges in their communities.”
Each of the schools participating will receive a participation certificate from IVECA, as well as a Global Classroom STEAM Challenge award from Samsung.
“Samsung has given our students the opportunity to not only interact with like-minded peers across the globe, but to cross cultural barriers and gain invaluable experience presenting their ideas at the United Nations,” said BeLinda Cross, teacher at Lawrence County High School. “They’re learning that their voices matter and they truly can make a difference.”
The list of school teams include:
- Ross High School’s Butler Tech in Hamilton, Ohio & Science Academy of KAIST in Busan, Korea are addressing the “No Poverty” and “Zero Hunger” SDGs by developing a website and an NGO to collect and distribute food.
- Downtown College Prep in San Jose, California & Zhenjiang Vocational Technical College in Jiangsu, China are addressing the “Clean Energy,” “Climate Action,” and “Life on Land” SDGs thanks to co-developed devices to reuse recyclables and plastic to cool and filter the air and conserve water.
- Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy in Erie, Pennsylvania & International School of Tunis from Tunis, Tunisia are addressing the “Decent Work and Economic Growth” and “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure” SDGs through educational programs to create jobs and improve their economy through tourism and workplace equality.
- The Lawrence County High School in Moulton, Alabama & Luiza Formozinho Ribeiro Public School in Sao Paulo, Brazil are addressing the “Good Health and Well-Being” SDG through co-developed websites and a mobile app to reduce and better manage waste and litter in their communities.
A live webcast of the program will be broadcast via UN TV at http://webtv.un.org/, and the United Nation’s YouTube channel will archive the program on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/unitednations.
Samsung’s Citizenship initiatives focus on programs that enhance health, education and sustainability opportunities for children. The company continues to develop programs that inspire the next generation of innovators through STEAM skills that prepare students for their future. To learn more about Samsung’s STEAM initiatives, visit here.
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About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, N.J., Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA) is a recognized innovative leader in consumer electronics, mobile devices and enterprise solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA is pushing beyond the limits of today’s technology and providing consumers and organizations with a portfolio of groundbreaking products in appliances, home entertainment, Internet of Things, mobile computing, smartphones, virtual reality, wireless infrastructure and wearables, in addition to offering leading content and services related to mobile payments, 360-degree VR video, customer support and more. Samsung is a pioneering leader in smartphones and HDTVs in the U.S. and one of America’s fastest growing home appliance brands. To discover more about Samsung, please visit www.samsung.com. For the latest Samsung news, please visit news.samsung.com/us and follow us @SamsungNewsUS.
