Richmond Hill Middle School has been named a Georgia State Winner for the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest.

The seventh-grade Imagineer team, consisting of students from Jamesa Broome, Ann Vitello, Lauren Avant and Jenna Barnwell’s classes, were notified this week of their selection and earned a $15,000 Samsung Technology Award for their school.

Their team at this phase of the competition is now in the top 100 out of over 2,000 teams nationally.

The students’ submission for the project focuses on using Bluetooth technology to develop an app that aids the visually impaired in navigating buildings or settings where other technology, such as GPS on smartphones may not be practical.

A user for the prototype, known as the Sightless Environmental Beacon App, or SEBA (pronounced see-bay), that is currently in development would allow the user to receive a vibration notification and audible directions telling them how soon and in which direction essential areas, such as their classrooms or bathrooms, may be as they navigate the school. In the next round, students have until Feb. 20 to develop their prototype and submit a video detailing the process to Samsung for a chance to be named one of 20 National Finalists and earn $50,000 in technology for their school.

National finalists are flown to New York to pitch to the finalist judges with a chance to be named a national winner, and earn $100,000 in technology for their school.