Kent Misses Top Prize in Samsung Video Contest

did not win the grand prize in Samsung's Solve for Tomorrow technology video contest, but the district did receive more than $50,000 in prizes for landing in the top 10 finalists for the competition.

teacher Chris Carman said he got an e-mail from Samsung officials Tuesday night advising him Kent did not make the top five finalists.

"The good news is that we ended up winning a second prize worth $50,000 of products from Samsung and Microsoft, including a $1,000 grant from DirecTV," Carman said.

The district was among more than 1,100 schools across the country that applied for the contest. Fifty were chosen and sent a Samsung laptop, camcorder and Adobe software to create a video answering this question: “How can science or math help improve the environment in your community?”

High school students in the Kent Roosevelt Environmental Club partnered with first-grade students in Tracy Foreman's class to film a water study project at Breakneck Creek. The video landed Kent in the top 10 finalists.

The video project earned Foreman and Carman last month.

Carman told the school board that the collaborative effort between the high school and elementary school students was worth the effort alone.

“If the worst we do is win $50,000 worth of stuff, I think we’re doing alright," Carman said.