EGHS a Finalist in $2m Samsung STEM Contest

EAST GREENWICH, RI—A group of biotechnology students at East Greenwich High School are working to develop biodegradable plastic and raise awareness about the ecological crisis caused by plastic in the ocean.

With some guidance from the science department faculty, the effort has earned their school an exclusive spot as a national STEM contest finalist.

Superintendent Victor Mercurio on Tuesday announced that the school has been named a finalist in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest, a “nationwide competition to increase interest in science, technology, engineering and math by challenging teachers and students to take topics out of traditional classroom settings and into local communities,” according to a release.

EGHS is one of just 15 schools to be named finalists in the competition that saw more than 4,000 entries. Now, school representatives will be packing their bags for a trip to New York City to present the project to a panel of judges to show how the students’ ideas are helping their community.

“It’s been an incredible opportunity to have such an immersive educational experience. The entire class has become very close, as we have spent countless hours focused on a singular goal,” said Ben Markstone, a senior at EGHS and student in the biotechnology class that spearheaded the application. “We’ve all learned so much, and my hope is that this experience leads to an even greater expansion of project-based learning in schools so that other students can be afforded a similar opportunity.”

The students, under the tutelage of Science Department Chair and Teacher Nicholas Rath, took the challenge of tackling a local issue true to heart.

East Greenwich is a coastal community that has long been defined in part by its access to Narragansett Bay.

Rhode Island is staking much of its future on a clean bay, which is essential for a state that banks on tourists flocking to beaches and fishermen plucking healthy fish and oysters from the sea.

The vision of the project, laid out in a purpose statement, states that students have been become increasingly concerned about the volume of plastics used in the community that end up in local waterways and Narragansett Bay. The main idea of this project is to provide students with the STEM skills necessary to research, design and create biodegradable plastics from renewable sources such as plants. Known as bioplastics, these materials offer an ecologically better alternative to traditional petro-based polymers. In addition, we hope to raise awareness in the community of the ecological problems associated with plastic litter while also helping educate students on how best to dispose of waste.”

Rath said the contest is “proof that, when you give students the tools they need and the opportunity to make a difference in their community, they are truly capable of changing the world.”

There will be five national winners: three will be chosen by judges, one by Samsung employees and another by a public vote on Twitter and Instragram.

The public can vote once per day from March 1 to March 31. Videos, current rankings and more can be found here http://www.samsung.com/us/solvefortomorrow/finalists/

To vote on social media, use the hashtags #SamsungSolve AND #SamsungSolveEGHS. Be sure to use BOTH hashtags for your votes to count!