Verizon’s Innovative App Challenge Names “Best in Nation” Winners

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Today, eight middle and high school student teams received the news they have been hoping to hear for months: They won Verizon’s Innovative App Challenge. The app concepts conceived by the “Best in Nation” winners range from using mobile technology to create models for 3D printing to helping reduce energy consumption.

This year’s middle school winners include:

  • Cheney Middle School in West Fargo, N.D. – Snap Docs, which converts hard copy text to editable documents using mobile technology.
  • Jefferson Township Middle School in Oak Ridge, N.J. – Super Science Girl, which drives interest in activities related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects to encourage young girls to pursue STEM careers.
  • Resaca Middle School in Los Fresnos, Texas – Hello Navi, which assists blind or visually impaired students in navigating their school buildings.
  • Open Window School in Bellevue, Wash. – HikeAbout, which includes maps and information about hiking trails in Washington.

This year’s high school winners include:

  • Bartlett High School in Bartlett, Ill. – Fittastick, which tracks food intake and exercise and encourages fitness and weight loss through social networking.
  • Westford Academy in Westford, Mass. – Tactillium, which delivers science education through a chemistry simulator without the need for expense of chemistry equipment and materials.
  • North Hills Preparatory School in Irving, Texas – Leave No Trace, which helps users to reduce their energy consumption by displaying data that informs about energy usage.
  • Helena High School in Helena, Mont. – Exact 3D Extract, which uses mobile technology to create 3D models for 3D printing.

The student teams were rewarded for their hard work with $20,000 in cash grants to advance STEM education in their schools, complimentary Samsung Galaxy Tabs for each team member and faculty advisor courtesy of Samsung Telecommunications America, as well as the opportunity to turn their ideas into working, downloadable apps through personal guidance from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Mobile Learning @ The Media Lab.  

The Verizon Innovative App Challenge is in its second year and received entries from nearly 1,300 student teams. Created in partnership with Technology Student Association, the program is dedicated to increasing student interest and knowledge in STEM subjects and mobile technology by engaging them in an empowering learning experience. The students worked together to develop apps that provide real-world solutions to challenges that mattered to them.

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