WYOMING COUNTY, W.Va. –Students from Huff Consolidated Elementary and Middle School in Wyoming County placed in the top three nationally in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition.
The students presented their pitches to the judges Tuesday morning.
With guidance from science and social studies teacher Brittany Miller-Baker, the students developed a five-stage water filtration project in response to the county’s ongoing water crisis.
Eighth grader Kaden Thomas said that when the team was first selected, they did not know what they would do until they tested local water.
“So, then we started looking around, there’s a lot of community activists talking about how the water is,” Thomas said. “We thought about it, then we decided we were going to try and design some kind of system, that we could, not completely solve the solution, but we could give a solution for right now, for the people that don’t have clean water.”
During their presentation, they said the contamination was caused by abandoned coal mines in the community that are polluting creeks, aquifers, and other water systems with acid mine drainage, a highly acidic water rich in heavy metals and sulfates.
Thomas said the water issue in southern West Virginia needs attention because people are suffering from contaminated water.
“I think it needs to be more recognized because there are people who are suffering daily,” he said. “This affects people greatly, sickness, cancers, even if you’re not drinking it, you’re still absorbing it, when you take a shower, when you brush your teeth, it’s just a hassle.”
The students said they designed the prototype with cost in mind. It is made from materials available in the community, including charcoal, limestone, sand, and UV lights, and costs about $300 to build.
Thomas said the project helps them see what they can accomplish in the years to come.
“I think it opens our eyes for just our future, and we can do as far as a community and what we can influence a community,” he said.
By placing in the top three, the students won $110,000 in classroom technology and resources for the school. The team also won the Community Choice Vote.
“Seeing students rise to the challenge of addressing a real issue in their community through classroom learning is inspiring. These students are passionate about STEM and dedicated to making a difference, both of which are paving the way for actionable change,” West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt said in a release. “I’m grateful that Ms. Miller-Baker is bringing this to life in her classroom by inspiring a future generation of leaders, scientists, chemists, and geologists, and I am proud of how well these students represented the Mountain State. Congratulations to everyone involved on a job well done.”
The student’s presentation can be found here.