By: Casey Ward, South Newton Middle School Math Teacher
Amelia Smith and Sophia Dunn, seventh graders at South Newton Middle School, were recognized nationally for their innovative STEM project in the 2025–2026 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition. Working under the direction of Mrs. Casey Ward and Ms. Brittany Diedam, the students were selected from a highly competitive pool of entries submitted from across all 50 states and received a $1,000 Promising STEM Innovation Award.
The students’ project addressed a real challenge facing their local rural community: limited access to medication for individuals with restricted mobility. With only one pharmacy serving three rural townships, many residents struggle to obtain needed prescriptions, particularly those who cannot easily travel.
To tackle this issue, Amelia and Sophia designed a concept for a drone-based medication delivery system. Their idea applies STEM principles including robotics, coding, GPS tracking, and aerospace science to safely and efficiently deliver medications directly to residents’ homes. By programming drones to travel to specific addresses, the system aims to provide a more accessible and reliable solution for patients and caregivers.
The anticipated impact of the project includes improved access to essential and specialty medications, reduced stress for families and caregivers, and shorter wait times for prescriptions that are not immediately available locally. The students also proposed partnering with pharmacies, establishing drone loading locations in each township, and creating a registration website for participants.
While the team was not selected to advance further in this year’s competition, the recognition is especially meaningful as this was the students’ first time applying to a national STEM competition. The project, which began simply as a “let’s try and see what happens” challenge from Mrs. Ward, quickly grew into a thoughtful, community-centered solution. Throughout the process, Amelia and Sophia demonstrated strong teamwork, dedication, and creativity.
With new ideas already taking shape, the students are already looking ahead and preparing to build on this experience in next year’s competition. This recognition highlights the strength of student innovation at South Newton Middle School and reflects the power of student-driven problem-solving when young learners are encouraged to try, create, and lead.
For more information about the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition, visit samsung.com/us/solvefortomorrow.