SCOTTSDALE — Snowflake Junior High School (SJHS) has been selected as one of three national winners in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow science and technology contest.
The prize includes $150,000 worth of technology products such as LED TVs, laptops and tablets.
As part of the competition, SJHS also won $20,000 to donate to a community nonprofit organization of its choice. The school’s donation will go to the Phoenix Herpetological Society to help support PHS’ wildlife and science education programs.
Samsung also named Snowflake Junior High as this year’s Community Choice winner for securing the most public votes for their team on social media. As the Community Choice winner, SJHS students have won an additional $20,000 in technology for their school.
SJHS emerged from thousands of public school entries from across the country to take home one of three top prizes for their innovation: a low-cost wildlife detection system that will warn drivers when large animals like elk and deer approach the road. The winners were named after finalists presented their projects to a panel of judges on Tuesday.
The SJHS project addresses the need for a low-cost system that can be deployed on a widespread, connected basis. Collisions with large animals cause more than 150 deaths per year and countless auto accidents.
People can watch a video about the project at www.samsung.com/solve.
For more information about PHS, including reservation-only tours of the private sanctuary or education programs, go to www.phoenixherp.com or call 480-513-4377 (HERP).
