Scott's Branch students are chosen as round one finalist in national Samsung competition

Scott’s Branch Middle High School Instructor Dr. Reynand Dumala-on and his students entered in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM education contest. At the end of November, they were notified their project was selected as one of five finalists to represent South Carolina. The nationwide competition for students in grades 6-12 encourages the use of STEM skills: science, technology, engineering and math. Using these skills, the students are to “find creative solutions to real-world issues impacting their local communities.” After receiving an email regarding the contest, Dumala-on encouraged his biology and physical science students to brainstorm ways to help the community. He is proud of their efforts and pleased the school has been selected. As Clarendon County is a primarily agricultural area, the students began looking for a creative way to address an ongoing agricultural problem specific to Clarendon County. As Dumala-on was raised in an agricultural area in the Philippines, he deeply connected with his students’ desire to help the agricultural community. During certain times of the year, Summerton and Clarendon County can and often do flood. As a result, vital nutrients critical for agricultural success can be stripped from the soil and carried away with the receding flood waters. In their project, Flood Madness for Farmers, the Scott’s Branch students have come up with a way to assess Clarendon County soil types to ascertain which soil types are most likely to retain the highest amount of these nutrients through repeated flooding. The students, with the aid of Dumala-on, prepared their entry for the contest. Monday, Dumala-on submitted an activity plan which laid out how the project will be executed in the community and how it will address the community issue. In this phase, one school from each state will be selected, and 40 of those winners will receive a $20,000 Samsung technology package which will include a Samsung video kit. From the 50 submitted videos, one from each state, Samsung will choose 10 projects to progress as national finalists. These students will attend a pitch event, where they will present their projects to a panel of judges. Seven of the 10 will receive a $50,000 Samsung technology package, while the remaining three will progress to the national winner stage. Each of the three will receive $100,000 in classroom Samsung technology and supplies. Dumala-on and his students saw many of the other South Carolina entries in the contest and were surprised to be chosen as a finalist. While their project is highly relevant to the local area, it didn’t have the far-reaching national or even global impact some of the other ideas had. However, Samsung was impressed with the students’ focus on local impact. “Being a finalist, we are happy about that. I didn’t expect we would be considered. It’s a big thing for us,” said Dumala-on. “Overall, we are so happy and thankful we were selected as one of the five from South Carolina.” The group has already received an outstanding recognition from the University of South Carolina for their work, because of the originality and applicability in the local area. In South Carolina, Scott’s Branch is up against Myrtle Beach Middle in Myrtle Beach, Richland Two Institute of Innovation in Columbia, Sumter School District in Sumter, and South Pointe High School in Rock Hill. Dumala-on and his students aren’t only motivated by the contest, however. They strive to truly help the community overcome the natural flooding that occurs here. “If we can convey the information to the farmers, it will be a big help for the crops, the plantings and the harvest. If they don’t know what to do based on the types of soil where they are planting, so much can be washed away,” said Dumala-on. He asserted the study could directly impact the economic baseline for farmers in Clarendon County. He hopes it will be a springboard for further research into the issue affecting so many in the community.