OAKLEY -- Freedom High School has moved into the finals of a national competition that could bring it a truckload of technology.

And anyone who wants to see that happen can give the Oakley campus a thumbs up with the click of a mouse.

Environmental sciences teacher John Sierra and his students this week entered the final phase of Samsung's third annual Solve for Tomorrow, a contest designed to foster students' interest in science, technology, engineering and math by challenging them to come up with projects that tackle real-world environmental problems in their communities.

As one of 15 finalists, Freedom High is in contention for approximately $110,000 worth of technology, a grand prize that will be awarded five high schools in March.

A panel of judges will choose three of the schools, Samsung employees will select the fourth, and the general public will decide the last one by voting online.

People can choose which project they think merits top honors by going to http://smsn.us/samsungsolve, which features videos describing each school's project.

Individuals can vote once a day after entering and verifying their email address.

The deadline is midnight March 4.

The winners will be announced on an as-yet undisclosed date next month.

The Oakley team entered the competition after deciding to landscape a nearly 6,000-square-foot plot on campus with native California

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Freedom High gardening students counting on public votes to win tech prize