NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
ninety-four teams of middle and high school students were named
Best in State winners of the fifth annual Verizon Innovative
Learning app challenge, a nationwide contest challenging students
to design mobile app concepts aimed at improving and solving for
societal issues in their schools and communities.
The Best in State winners were chosen from more than 1,800 teams
from across the country who submitted concepts for review by a
panel of judges assembled by the Technology Student Association
(TSA). Each Best in State team will receive $5,000 from the Verizon Foundation for their
school, club or organization, along with tablets for each student
team member. The teams will compete to earn one of eight Best in
Nation awards, selected by a panel of education and industry
experts, and the Fan Favorite award, determined by public
voting.
"As the job market shifts due to the rapid progression of
technological advances, it's clear that we need to do more to
increase student interest and proficiency in technology and give
them project-based learning opportunities," said Justina Nixon-Saintil, director of education
programs for the Verizon Foundation. "Part of that is preparing
students to thrive in a digital economy, and the Verizon Innovative
Learning app challenge encourages them to ideate solutions to real
world problems through the digital lens they will be required to
think through to be competitive for future careers."
Over the past four years, winners of the Verizon Innovative
Learning app challenge worked with experts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab to produce apps that have provided
solutions, such as helping blind students navigate schools,
tracking sports-related concussions and making learning easier for
autistic classmates.
The eight teams named Best in Nation and the team voted as Fan
Favorite will receive an additional $15,000 for their school, club or organization,
the chance to build their concepts into working apps with experts
from MIT and an all-expenses-paid trip
to the TSA Conference in Orlando,
Fla. in June 2017.
Voting for the Verizon Innovative Learning app challenge Fan
Favorite award opens today and ends February
14, 2017. For the full list of teams eligible for the award,
visit http://appchallenge.tsaweb.org/vote. To vote, review the
student submissions, pick your favorite team and text its code to
22333. Voting is free and standard texting rates apply, according
to your service plan. Best in Nation and Fan Favorite winning teams
will be announced on February 15,
2017.
Verizon Innovative Learning, the education initiative of the
Verizon Foundation, created the annual app challenge in partnership
with the Technology Student Association, and in collaboration with
the MIT Media Lab, to spark greater student interest in STEM
(science, technology, engineering and math) and provide hands-on
learning experiences.
About the Technology Student Association (TSA)
The
Technology Student Association is a national organization devoted
exclusively to the needs of students interested in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics. Open to young people
enrolled in or who have completed technology education courses,
TSA's membership includes over 190,000 middle and high school
students in 2,000 schools spanning 48 states. TSA partners with
universities and other organizations to promote a variety of STEM
competitions and opportunities for students and teachers. TSA is
supported by educators, parents and business leaders who believe in
the need or a technologically
literate society. From engineers to business managers, our alumni
credit TSA with a positive influence in their lives.
Visit http://www.tsaweb.org for more
information.
About Verizon Innovative Learning
Verizon Innovative
Learning, the education initiative of the Verizon Foundation,
brings technology and hands-on learning opportunities to middle and
high school students in underserved schools and communities. We not
only fund the programs, but we also create and administer them in
partnership with leading nonprofits. We diligently measure the
impact of our work and refine our programs to ensure we're making a
difference. We've reached more than 220,000 students so far – and
we're just getting started. For more information about Verizon's
philanthropic work,
visit www.verizon.com/about/responsibility; or for
regular updates, visit Facebook
(www.facebook.com/verizonfoundation) and Twitter
(www.twitter.com/verizongiving).
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in
New York City, has a diverse
workforce of 162,000 and generated nearly $132 billion in 2015 revenues. Verizon operates
America's most reliable wireless network, with 113.7 million retail
connections nationwide. The company also provides communications
and entertainment services over mobile broadband and the nation's
premier all-fiber network, and delivers integrated business
solutions to customers worldwide.
Verizon's Online News Center: News releases, feature stories,
executive biographies and media contacts are available at Verizon's
online News Center at www.verizon.com/news/. News releases are also
available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit
www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.
Media contact:
Jessica
Thorpe
908.559.6734
jessica.thorpe@verizonwireless.com
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SOURCE Verizon