Digital Format Expands Participation, Introducing Many SME PRIME^® Schools to Student Summits for the First Time

Southfield, Mich. – Nov. 7, 2024 – The SME Education Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the inaugural Digital Bright Minds Student Summit, a month-long online event designed to engage high school students with the world of manufacturing through immersive, gamified learning.

The Summit, hosted virtually from October 1 – 25 during Manufacturing Month, saw participation from over 1,100 students from 21 SME PRIME® schools across 11 states.

SME Bright Minds Student Summits are typically hosted in person alongside SME conferences and events, to showcase the high-tech nature of modern manufacturing and promote the industry as an exciting, growing, and lucrative career path to high school students and educators

The Digital Summit concept was designed to supplement in-person Summits and broaden access to schools that would otherwise be unable to attend and participate. Moreover, the digital nature of the event allows educators to seamlessly integrate the Summit's content into everyday curriculum. 

“Hosting this Summit in a digital format opened up new opportunities for SME PRIME schools that wouldn’t typically be able to attend in-person, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the engagement and enthusiasm we saw,” said Rob Luce, vice president of the SME Education Foundation. “Through events like the Digital Bright Minds Student Summit, we are committed to equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and inspiration they need to thrive in the world of manufacturing.”

Students participated in four – one-hour modules via the SME+ App, at their own pace as assigned by their teacher, competing in games and earning points along the way. Students explored a range of activities, including a Jeopardy!-style game, a Wheel of Fortune-style challenge, FANUC America and Edge Factor virtual factory tours, and more. The top three schools with the most points at the end of the competition won $5,000, $3,500, and $1,500 respectively. 

The winners of the 2024 Digital Bright Minds Student Summit are:

1st Place: Lincoln High School, Ypsilanti, MI

2nd Place: Calhoun High School, Calhoun, GA

3rd Place: Proviso West High School, Hillside, IL

“I am incredibly proud of these students, many of whom have been with me for four years and helped shape our program. They rose to the challenge, demonstrating qualities like collaboration, empathy, respect, and adaptability,” said Richard Roe, Physics and Math teacher at Lincoln High School. “This is just the beginning for advanced manufacturing at Lincoln, and we are grateful to the SME Education Foundation for this opportunity.”

The SME Education Foundation congratulates all participants and winners of the 2024 Digital Bright Minds Student Summit, whose dedication and creativity have set a high standard for future Summits. To learn more about the Bright Minds Student Summits, click here.

About SME PRIME

SME PRIME^® partners private industry with academia to build custom manufacturing and engineering programs in high schools across the country, providing equipment, curriculum, teacher training, student scholarships, and funding for extra-curricular activities and program sustainability. SME PRIME is tailored to meet the needs of local manufacturers and is aligned with over 40 industry recognized certifications. SME PRIME is located in 110 schools across 23 states, serving 10,000 students, and 91% of PRIME seniors pursue manufacturing post-graduation.

About the SME Education Foundation

As the philanthropic arm of SME, the SME Education Foundation inspires, prepares, and supports the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent. Established in 1979, the Foundation works to expose youth to modern manufacturing technologies, train students on relevant manufacturing processes, and award millions of dollars in scholarships annually. All Foundation programming seeks to empower youth to consider and pursue careers in manufacturing and engineering and increase engagement with historically underrepresented populations to help diversify the manufacturing industry. We continue to inspire, prepare and support the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent – now as many as 12,000 students every year. Visit smeef.org and follow the SME Education Foundation on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

About SME

Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the entire North American manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students, and the communities in which they operate. We believe manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity, and champion the industry's potential as a diverse, thriving, and valued ecosystem. SME accelerates new technology adoption and builds North America’s talent and capabilities to advance manufacturing and drive competitiveness, resiliency, and national security. SME designs new ways to understand and solve problems, and our solutions advance the next wave of growth in manufacturing. Learn more at SME.org.