Jefferson Township Middle School Students to Be Recognized on April 10 for Win in Verizon Innovative App Challenge

OAK RIDGE, N.J., April 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon and local leaders will recognize students from Jefferson Township Middle School for being among the Best in Nation winners in the Verizon Innovative App Challenge, at a celebratory event at the school on Thursday (April 10). Out of nearly 1,300 submissions from across the country, the students' "Super Science Girl" app concept is one of eight winning designs. The app concept – once built – will create interest in activities related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics to encourage young girls to pursue careers in these fields.

Created by the Verizon Foundation in partnership with the Technology Student Association, the Innovative App Challenge charged teams of middle and high school students across the country with developing concepts for mobile applications that could provide solutions to real problems in students' schools or communities. The competition is designed to help boost student engagement and interest in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.

Soon, students will focus on developing their app concept into an actual app. They will learn to code and to use MIT App Inventor, with hands-on support and training from Verizon employees and members of the MIT App Inventor Training Corps. Verizon will then help the teams share and distribute their finished apps via a platform such as the Google Play store. 

Each Best in Nation winning team has earned its school a $15,000 Verizon Foundation grant, in addition to a $5,000 grant for achieving Best in Region. Jefferson Township Middle School will use the grants to help build the team's app and advance STEM education. Winning team members will receive new Samsung Galaxy tablets, courtesy of Samsung Telecommunications America. Both the grant and tablets will be presented to the Jefferson Township Middle School team at the April 10 event.

SOURCE Verizon