>> we've basically had a 19th century model of education that is not preparing enough young people to be successful in the 21st century global economy. >> reporter: among this year's competitors, maria castro, brian whited, shawn patel. >> i want to become a solar engineer and go to stanford. >> reporter: junior maria castro is at the mostly latino high school in phoenix, arizona. the average family here makes less than $30,000 a year. ♪ guitar player brian whitehead is from middle-class seymour, tennessee. are there classes that you are not able to take because they're not offered in the school that you'd like to take? >> i guess any a.p. classes at all. ♪ >> reporter: sophomore shawn patel is from upper middle-class montgomery, new jersey. the son of indian immigrants,