Two Missouri Schools Advance in Verizon Third National App Challenge

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- El Dorado Springs Middle School and Blue Springs High School students earned the title of Best in State in the third Verizon Innovative App Challenge, a national competition in which students design a mobile application concept to address a local need.

Students from El Dorado Springs created the app concept iVOTE, allowing individuals to register and vote directly from a mobile device. Blue Springs students developed a "Tutoring Scheduling" app, allowing students schedule tutoring or counseling sessions with teachers and advisors.

"The idea for our iVOTE app came from a brainstorming session we held dealing with problems in education and society," said Barbara Walsh, Teacher of Gifted/Talented Education at El Dorado Springs Middle School. "Our conversation gave us the spark to create an app that would allow remote voting and participation sometime in the future."

Kevin Clevenger, PLTW Computer Science Teacher at Blue Springs High School, credited the App Challenge encouraging problem-solving.  "It is exciting to see these students work as a team to identify a problem and create a solution that would benefit not just our school, but all schools," said Clevenger.

The Verizon Innovative App Challenge was created in partnership with the Technology Student Association to address the critical need to inspire student interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

"This contest has exposed students to new skill sets such as learning to collaborate, negotiate and best of all, problem solving," said Brendan Fallis, president – Kansas/Missouri region, Verizon Wireless.  "We can't wait to see which of these creative concepts will become actual working mobile apps that can help make a difference in local communities."

About the Verizon Foundation
The Verizon Foundation is focused on accelerating social change by using the company's innovative technology to help solve pressing problems in education, healthcare and energy management.    For more information about Verizon's philanthropic work, visit www.verizon.com/about/responsibility; or for regular updates, visit the Foundation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/verizonfoundation) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/verizongiving).

SOURCE Verizon Foundation

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