Members of Everett High School’s Computer Club have advanced to the state finals of a national competition that promotes STEM and the positive ways it can influence our communities.
The EHS students are participating in “Solve for Tomorrow,” which is sponsored by Samsung. Competing teams can win up to $100,000 in prizes for their school, plus the opportunity to work with Samsung employees to develop their prototypes.
By being named a State Finalist, EHS will receive a $2,500 prize package featuring Samsung products and classroom resources that will support their plan.
Working with teachers Alex O’Donnell and Neil Plotnick, the EHS Computer Club is developing a project to refurbish and distribute old computers. Instead of disposing of old computers — and straining the environment — the EHS students will return the devices to use by installing them with updated Linux software. The effort is already reaping rewards, as the Club recently donated computers to a women’s shelter. Through this work, the students are learning how to diagnose systems, run diagnostic tests, and perform related tasks to restore machines to working order.
In cases when a computer is unsalvageable, the team has an established relationship with a scrap metal firm in Everett that responsibly recycles the circuit boards and other materials.
“A sensational effort by any definition,” said Superintendent of Schools Priya Tahiliani. “The Computer Club deserves a long and loud round of applause for embracing this project and coming up with thoughtful and practical ways to utilize aging technology.”
The Computer Club is recognized by the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) as a chapter of the Computer Science Honor Society, which emphasizes initiatives with social impact.