WYOMING COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Students from Huff Consolidated Elementary and Middle School in Wyoming County have earned national recognition and a significant financial award after placing among the top three teams in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition.
State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt congratulated the team for also winning the Community Choice Vote, an achievement that brings $110,000 in classroom technology and resources to the school.
The student team, led by science and social studies teacher Brittany Miller-Baker, developed a water filtration project in response to Wyoming County’s ongoing water crisis.
Abandoned coal mines in the area have contaminated local water sources with acid mine drainage, which is highly acidic and contains heavy metals and sulfates.
“When we were selected, we didn’t really know what to do, and we had tested some bottled water. We thought about it, and then we decided we were going to try to design some kind of system,” said Kaden Thomas, an eighth-grade student at Huff Consolidated.
“People are suffering daily. I think that it opens our eyes to our future and what we can do as part of the community, and what we can influence the community to do.”
The students’ prototype filtration system was designed as a low-cost solution, using materials commonly available in the community.
The system, which costs about $300 to build, incorporates charcoal, limestone, sand and ultraviolet light to help purify water. The team hopes the design can provide short-term relief for residents affected by water contamination.
“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,” said Superintendent Blatt.
“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.”
