Teachers Recognized for Technology Contest Video Work

The two Kent teachers responsible for getting the district in the top 10 finalists for a $150,000 technology grant contest were recognized by the Kent City Schools Board of Education this week.

The school board thanked teacher Chris Carman and teacher Tracy Foreman for their work on the district's video submission for Samsung's Solve for Tomorrow contest, which offers a grand prize of $150,000 worth of Samsung and Microsoft products along with $10,000 in educational programming from DirecTV.

The district's video submission, Davey Creek Day, beat out more than 1,100 applicants nationwide to make it through the contest and into the top 10. Members of the public can vote five times a day on Samsung's website to help the district win. Public voting for the winner closed Friday.

End results will be calculated based on 40 percent online votes and 60 percent by a judging panel, according to Samsung.

The board thanked the teachers during their meeting Tuesday as part of a program started in 2010 to recognize the district's top teachers.

“We are fortunate to have staff like you," school board President Ryan Ferrara said. "We’ve got our fingers crossed that our community helps support the fine work you’ve initiated by voting often.”

Carman, the adviser for the high school's environmental club, worked with his students and Foreman's to document a trip to Breakneck Creek to study water quality.

Carman said the collaboration between high school and elementary students alone was worth the effort.

“At this point we’ve already won $50,000 worth of Samsung and Microsoft products," he said. “If the worst we do is win $50,000 worth of stuff I think we’re doing alright."