Milwaukee Public Schools: Two Milwaukee Public Schools students studying mobile app development were recognized for their first place finish as a “Fan Favorite” in a national app competition.
North Division High School students Tatiana Loyd and Qiaira Mathews were awarded the MPS Board of Directors Excellence in Education Award for their achievement at the MPS Board meeting Thursday evening. The two North Division students'”Emoji Encouragement” app is one of just two teams voted first place nationwide in the “Fan Favorites” category in the Lenovo Scholars Network competition.
The app is designed to support students battling cancer, sickle cell anemia, depression and other diseases or those with low self-esteem with words of encouragement. The two students stayed after school, worked from home and even came in over spring break to work on the app and accompanying video presentation, according to North Division lead computer science teacher Melissa Menge.
The students earned a tablet and a trip to the National NAF Conference in Orlando from Lenovo and NAF. NAF (formerly the National Academy Foundation) transforms the high school experience by infusing STEM and work-based learning experiences into curriculum to ensure students graduate and are college, career, and future ready. The winning team plans to enter another app in the contest this year and will further develop their mobile app programming skills in the Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles class at North Division. This is the first time this class the College Board as offered this class.