schools often fail to do. >> we 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 whiteig, shawn patel. >> i want to become a solar engineer and go to stanford, university. >> reporter: she's a student at the mostly latino carl haden 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? >> well, i guess any ap classes at all. ♪ >> reporter: sophomore shawn patel is from upper milled class montgomery, new jersey. the son of indian immigrants,