Denton ISD Math Teacher Named Finalist in National Tech Contest

Crownover Middle School teacher Robert (B.J.) Garcia received a $25,000 prize from Samsung for a STEAM project he's working on with his students.

Photo of Crownover Middle School

A seventh-grade math teacher at Crownover Middle School in the Denton ISD was selected as a finalist for Samsung’s national “Solve for Tomorrow” technology contest.

Robert (B.J.) Garcia and his students received $25,000 in Samsung technology for their project designing portable housing for disaster victims, according to the school district.  

“Students will never remember a test grade or a worksheet, but a hands-on practical experience such as this is something they will never forget.”

ROBERT GARCIA

Garcia and the students are working with local meteorologists and architects to perfect a final pitch to submit to Samsung, according to NBC DFW. From there, they could advance as one of 10 teams to compete for an additional $150,000 in prizes in Washington, D.C.

Garcia, who also was a state finalist in the contest last year, said he believes that this project not only can shape the lives of those affected by natural disasters, but it also will have a significant impact on the lives of his students.

“Students will never remember a test grade or a worksheet, but a hands-on practical experience such as this is something they will never forget,” Garcia said in a district release. 

Samsung started the “Solve for Tomorrow” contest to promote science, technology, engineering, art, and math subjects in schools around the country, and has awarded more than $2 million in technology and prizes. 


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