Two teams that win the first prize in the final round of the Solve for Tomorrow 2024 competition. (Photo courtesy of Samsung)
Two of the brightest ideas from the youngest generation of Vietnamese students have won top prizes at a national innovation competition.
Samsung Vietnam Complex and Junior Achievement Vietnam (JA Vietnam) on Saturday hosted the final round and award ceremony of the sixth annual Solve for Tomorrow competition, recognising outstanding technology innovation projects aimed at addressing social and local issues.
The event featured the top ten teams from various provinces across the country, with five teams from secondary schools and five involving students at high schools, with projects spanning various fields such as environment, healthcare and solutions to support vulnerable groups.
Notably, in addition to those competing for the first, second and third prize, this year's final round also saw the selection of two potential teams.
After an intense competition, the first prizes (including a STEM makerspace for the school of the winning team, a cash prize of 30 million VND for the team and a Samsung product valued at 30 million VND for each team member and advisor) were awarded to the Small Warriors team - Him Lam Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities – Hau Giang with the project of applying smart technology to breed and raise rare insects and the Supernova team of Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted – Da Nang with the project of Braveheart - Using smart applications to warn of dangerous situations in children and women.
At the event, Nguyen Thi Kim Chi, Deputy Minister of Education and Training said: "I see that the Solve for Tomorrow, along with Samsung’s global educational vision, aligns significantly with Vietnam’s educational goals. I believe the six-year journey of Solve for Tomorrow stands as both evidence of its impact and a strong foundation for the competition's future success."
President of Samsung Vietnam Complex Choi Joo Ho said: “Every year, as I observe the projects in the Solve for Tomorrow Final Round, I am amazed by the enthusiasm, effort, and intellect of the students.
"This year is no exception, and I am deeply moved by the impressive products they create. These students are the outstanding talents and future leaders of Vietnam. I hope they do not rest on their current achievements but continue to develop in their academic journeys. In the future, Samsung also strives to expand the reach of the Solve for Tomorrow programme to more students.”
The Solve for Tomorrow 2024 competition, launched in March 2024, targets secondary and high school students aged 12 to 18, encouraging them to apply STEM knowledge across science, technology, engineering and mathematics to address current social challenges.
Since its inception in 2019, it has achieved remarkable success, growing from just 500 participants in its first year to over 150,000 students in its sixth year, with nearly 2,300 project submissions from secondary and high schools nationwide. This growth solidifies the competition's reputation as a flagship corporate social responsibility initiative by Samsung Vietnam.
With the desire to popularise STEM knowledge, for the first time, as part of the Solve for Tomorrow 2024 competition, the 'Solve for Tomorrow Bus' travelled over 8,000 kilometres to reach and provide technology and science experiment experiences to more than 10,000 students nationwide.