MMCRU Ag Department in Marcus, Iowa has been named one of the 500 schools honored in the 16th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow program. Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is an annual competition that tackles the tech-education gap by equipping grades 6-12 classrooms with the technology, training, and mentorship needed to apply STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) skills to real-world issues in their communities.

• This year’s Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition emphasizes hands-on learning with a stronger focus on AI, framed through new global themes: Environmental Sustainability via Technology and Social Change Through Sports & Technology.
• Gen Z and Gen Alpha students participating in this year’s competition have boldly entered their game-changing ideas to tackle public health and safety, advancing accessibility through STEM, environmental sustainability through technology, and social change driven by sport and technology, underscoring the breadth and real-world impact of student-led innovation.
• Overall, 83% of the 500 projects leveraged emerging technologies, with 39% incorporating artificial intelligence or machine learning, 55% using 3D modeling or printing, and 27% integrating Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.
• As part of this year’s competition, all 500 teams will receive funding and recognition to further develop their ideas.
  This school year, trailblazing entrepreneurs Mark Cuban and Emma Grede are serving as the first-ever Samsung Solve for Tomorrow ambassadors, helping elevate AI literacy, emerging technology, and mentorship among students and educators nationwide. In support of this role, Samsung has partnered with the Mark Cuban Foundation to expand free AI training resources for teachers and provide immersive AI experiences for students that help demystify AI and instill confidence in its use. As AI transforms the future of work and learning, K-12 educators face new challenges to ensure students develop the skills they need to succeed. New Samsung research finds that while 81% of teachers worry about students relying too heavily on AI and weakening critical thinking skills, 70% say they’d embrace AI more if they saw it driving social good and community engagement— signaling a pivotal moment to help students shape technology, not be shaped by it. Samsung’s research also reveals a gap in educator training: more than half of teachers (53%) report having no formal training on using AI in the classroom—a figure that rises to 64% in under-resourced schools, despite 88% reporting a belief that AI will be important in their students’ futures. Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is tackling this tech- education gap by equipping grade 6-12 classrooms with the technology, training, and mentorship needed to apply STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) skills to real-world issues in their communities – alongside key partners like the Mark Cuban Foundation.
  In our rural community, farmers often rely on full-field chemical spraying, which can increase costs and contribute to environmental runoff. Our students are working to develop a SmartSpray Drone system that uses aerial imagery and data analysis to identify crop stress and apply chemicals only where needed. This project empowers students to use STEM skills to improve sustainability, reduce input use, and support the future of precision agriculture in our area.
  For the next phase of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition, 100 Semi-Finalist schools now advance to the next phases of the competition, where they will create a 3-minute project video to bring their innovation to life. Each team will be paired with a Samsung employee mentor to help create compelling pitches for their STEM solutions to advance to the National Finalist phase. Video submissions are due Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Based on these submissions, judges will select 10 National Finalists, who will be revealed in March 2026. The National Finalists will participate in a live pitch event and present their projects to a panel of judges, with seven schools receiving $50,000 in Samsung technology and classroom supplies. From the National Finalists, one Community Choice Winner will be selected through online public voting to receive an additional $10,000 in prizes, and one Employee Choice Winner will be selected by Samsung employees to receive an additional $10,000. Judges will then name three National Winners, each earning a $100,000 prize package. For more information on the competition, visit
  https://www.samsung.com/us/solvefortomorrow/ or reach out to Sarah Brady at sarah.brady@mmcruroyals.org