USCHS Team Among 100 Semifinalists in National STEM Competition

Juniors Josh and Matt Beitler earned the distinction – and a $10,000 prize package – for their innovative, community-focused STEM project. The team is now in the running to be named one of 10 Finalists, and, ultimately, one of three National Winners. 

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is an annual initiative designed to close the tech-education gap by providing students in grades 6–12 with the tools, training, and mentorship needed to apply STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills to real-world challenges in their communities.

For their project, Josh and Matt partnered with their neighbor, Jackson Beck, a fourth grader who is quadriplegic, to identify a daily task he wanted to complete independently, but for which no affordable, widely available solution exists. 

“He shared a strong desire to read physical books on his own. Jackson recently got a library card, but without use of his arms, he cannot flip through the pages of the books he wants to enjoy,” Josh and Matt wrote. “This means he can only read when someone is available to turn pages for him, limiting his independence and access to learning.”

Using their STEM expertise, the USCHS students are designing an innovative, child-friendly and affordable device that allows Jackson – and others with limited mobility – to read physical books independently. 

“Our design will combine mechanical engineering, electronics, and programming,” Josh and Matt wrote. “We will build a gentle page-turning mechanism made from custom 3D-printed or other low-cost components. A small motor with a soft roller or flexible ‘finger’ will lift and slide each page, while an accessible interface will allow control through widely used assistive switches, such as large buttons.”

By focusing on affordability and accessibility, Josh and Matt hope their solution will help to expand independence and learning opportunities for children with mobility challenges. 

“Many families cannot afford specialized assistive technology due to high costs,” they wrote. “A cheaper solution that can be easily built or reproduced by schools, therapy centers, or families would expand opportunities for students who struggle with similar challenges.”

As Semifinalists, Josh and Matt must now bring their project vision to life by creating and submitting a three-minute video demonstration by Feb. 11, 2026. From the pool of 100 Semifinalists, judges will select 10 National Finalists to be announced in March 2026. 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. 

In addition to Josh and Matt being named Semifinalists, another USCHS team earned national recognition by placing among the top 500 schools. Juniors Rohan Inampudi and Josh Mukherjee, along with senior Sidharth Nambiar, submitted a project focused on eye tracking technology. Their team was honored with the designation Promising STEM Innovation and awarded a $1,000 grant to further develop their idea.

The 500 teams from across the country were selected from thousands of submissions spanning all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The projects stood out for their innovative, community-driven solutions that leverage emerging technologies – particularly artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and sustainable tech – to address real-world challenges.

For more information on the competition, visit samsung.com/us/solvefortomorrow/.