8 Schools Win Verizon Innovative App Challenge

• By Michael Hart
• 02/04/15

Eight teams from. middle and high schools in the United States learned today they are national winners of the third annual Verizon Innovative App Challenge.

The eight student teams, all of whom met the challenge to develop mobile applications that addressed specific problems in their communities or schools, will receive:

• $20,000 in grants from the Verizon Foundation for their schools' STEM-related programming;
• Samsung tables for every member of the team;
• Onsite and virtual training and coding development from the Center for Mobile Learning at the MIT Media Lab;
• Help and advice from the MIT Media Lab in sharing and distributing their apps; and
• Invitations to present their apps in person at the National Technology Student Association Conference in Dallas in June, all expenses paid.

This year's winners and their concepts are:

• Lime Kiln Middle School, Fulton, MD — VolunteerMe provides information about volunteer opportunities in the school or community;
• Tri-Tech Skills Center, Kennewick, WA — Safe & Sound offers teenagers ways to manage stress and depression;
• C.M. Rice Middle School, Plano, TX — Mind Glass offers students with dyslexia options for customizing text to make it easier for them to read and comprehend;
• Meyzeek Middle School, Louisville, KY — Log 'N Learn addresses the problem of unsafe and inexperienced driving among young drivers by providing information about driver education;
• Cab Calloway School of the Arts, Wilmington, DE — VirDoc provides a virtual cadaver for students to dissect and learn anatomy;
• Upper St. Clair High School, Pittsburgh — A Look Inside allows students to explore the inner workings of different inventions and machines through a virtual take-apart system;
• Shades Valley High School, Irondale, AL — Vocal uses a calendar and social media to help people find and volunteer for causes they want to support; and
• Kyrene Aprende Middle School, Chandler, AZ — Endurvinna sets up a competitive social media environment to encourage sustainable and green choices.

To see more about the teams' mobile apps, visit Verizon Innovative App Challenge.

"We're particularly proud of the Best in Nation winners, who displayed some remarkable critical thinking and problem-solving skills in developing their app concepts," said Verizon Foundation Director of Education Programs Justina Nixon-Saintil. "I'm thrilled this contest has been able to challenge students to get out of their comfort zone and unleash their potential to succeed."

One of last year's app challenge-winning teams was invited to the annual White House Science Fair to demonstrate its Hello Navi app to help a blind classmate better navigate the halls of their school. A first-year winner's app was featured in Verizon's "Potential for Us" Black History Month national advertising campaign.