Tom Bromer’s space is no hum-drum classroom. Students usually scatter throughout the room near the back of Drakes Creek Middle School, filming, acting, editing, building, designing and brainstorming. And now those students are part of a national competition with thousands of dollars at stake.

Samsung’s “Solve for Tomorrow” competition challenges students across the nation to produce videos showing how math and science can enhance their communities. The company is handing out $1 million in prize money, and Drakes Creek technology students are in reach of the big bucks.

“I was tickled to get into the top,” said Bromer, technology education teacher. “I know how good my kids are.”

About 1,000 schools applied to compete. Samsung officials picked 50 top teams and gave them equipment to produce their videos. Half those teams will get some money – the winner gets $155,000. Four second-place winners receive $80,000 apiece; five third-place winners get $50,000 each and the other 15 finalists receive $15,000 each.

Two classes of Drakes Creek students are scrambling to finish five videos for the competition, which are due Friday. Bromer’s students are no strangers to competitions – trophies sit throughout the classroom as reminders of past triumphs on national and state levels.

The competitions – and other projects – make a lively classroom.

Last week, some students grilled hot dogs using solar power. Some stood in front of video cameras, acting out scenes for their documentaries. Others clustered in front of computers, putting the final touches on videos and slide shows.

Braxton Hooks crouched over his robot, which used a light sensor to shuffle across the floor.

“I think it’s cool. I like building robots,” said Braxton, an eighth-grader. “Things like this are interesting to me.”

Some worked on the Samsung competition, while others worked on other assignments. Each week, Bromer’s students produce a news show, which is broadcast throughout the school.

A large green screen with towering lights and cameras hangs in the back of the classroom. Some students crowded around a computer, editing a documentary about college versus trade school – an entry for a state technology competition.

Students, such as Braxton, tinkered with robots and other contraptions. Students continually circled Bromer’s desk, asking for help with video cameras, computer applications and equipment malfunctions.

“It gets a little bit crazy in here sometimes,” Bromer said. “They’re pretty talented kids, they really are. … I have more trouble getting them stopped than getting them started.”

One group created a documentary about the advantages of compact fluorescent light bulbs for the Samsung competition.

Two students stood at a dry-erase board, working math problems to show the benefits of CFL light bulbs compared with regular bulbs. One student stood behind a video camera, while another explained the math problem to her unseen audience.

Meanwhile, other students edited existing video.

“It’s very fun and interactive. It helps us do a lot of hands-on stuff,” said Noah Rudloff, an eighth-grader. Noah’s favorite part is “filming, because I get to be in front of the camera. It’s my time to shine.”

Another group took an in-depth look at cardiovascular procedures, and how math and science literally impact the beat of someone’s heart. They interviewed cardiovascular professionals and students at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and they examined a heart bypass machine.

Students edited their filmed interviews in class.

“This is almost a finished product,” said Robert Estes, an eighth-grader.

On the other side of the room, a few students munched on hot dogs they cooked using sunlight. Students used a solar contraption, which heats items with lenses and natural sunlight, to grill their hot dogs. Despite the frigid temperatures, the hot dogs were steaming in a few minutes.

They filmed the project for the Samsung competition, and they hope to show “how you can save money just by solar cooking,” said Irma Sehic, an eighth-grader. “We looked at gas prices to see how it saves more money.”

Students devoted hours of work to the projects, conducting interviews and polishing their products after school. Thanks to district technology funds and winnings from other competitions, they are able to use some of the newest technology.

Still, technology is constantly evolving, and money is essential to classes, such as Bromer’s. A top 25 spot in the Samsung competition would mean more than a fistful of cash, he said.

“It would mean a lot of additional cameras,” Bromer said. “It would mean less sharing of equipment. It would mean more access to kids, more hands-on. That’s what our program is trying to do.”