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STILLWATER, Minn. — City officials are listening to some sixth graders’ thoughts on light pollution in town, especially now that their classrooms are making it to the top in national STEM competitions.
Samsung’s 14th annual Solve for Tomorrow competition challenges students across the country to find STEM solutions to real-world problems in their neighborhoods.
At Stillwater Middle School, science teacher Cory Christensen learned about the contest and asked her sixth-graders, who had recently studied about light pollution, to come up with a solution.
“Light pollution affects bird migration, and the St. Croix River in our region is a thoroughfare or flight route for about 250 bird species,” Christensen said. “The kids went out into the city and came up with a lot of ideas.”
So far, students have used 3D printers, cardboard, and string to design and build several different prototypes of streetlight covers shaped like women’s slippers, named after the Minnesota state flower. Ta. Eventually, they plan to build a cover large enough to cover a street light and install bioluminescent lights inside it.
“Bioluminescence is a living organism that has its own natural glow,” Christensen says. “Some of our students know more about it. They are experts in bioluminescence!”
They explained that bioluminescent light levels do not have such a severe effect on birds.
“Birds use stars as migration routes, so if you can’t see stars, you’re not on the right migration route,” said student Christina Wallman. “This is one of the big risks as light pollution worsens.”
Samsung recently announced that 50 schools, one from each state, will advance to the final round of the competition, with each school receiving a $12,000 technology prize package. In Minnesota, Stillwater Middle School won.
“I love being a Minnesotan, especially in this historic town, so this was really great,” said student Arthur Lee. “I’m really proud of Stillwater.”
“They deserve it because they’ve been dedicated to this,” Christensen added. “Kids have been working on it over the weekend, writing to me, asking me questions, researching it.”
In early March, winners in each state will receive a Samsung video production kit to create a three-minute video documenting their project and showcasing STEM solutions to problems in their community. Ten national finalists will be selected in late March and each will receive her $50,000 prize package.
Stillwater students not only have a chance to win, but they also have a chance to have their lights installed in the city. They recently invited Mayor Ted Kozlowski and City Engineer Sean Sanders to visit their classrooms.
“The city is already planning to replace the lights within three years and is already looking at funding for that. That means we have a solution for them and we hope they like it. Well, they already have the funds for that,” one student said. “It’s actually possible. We’re going to work with the mayor’s engineer, the chief engineer, to figure out the dimensions that we need to design this into.”
The students also invited Joanna Eckles from the American Bird Conservation Society to speak to the class.
“To learn how to make 3D models, I talked to some eighth-graders in my design and modeling class and they taught me how to make 3D models,” Lee said. “We went to their classes, and they came to us from time to time. Without them, we wouldn’t know how to make these.”
In April, Solve for Tomorrow will name three schools as national winners, and each school will receive $100,000 in prize packages consisting of Samsung technology and classroom supplies.
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