Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke congratulates CGLA students Deyna Jacobo, Carmen Gonzales, Honeydi Velasquez and Samantha Bautista, from left, on their successful app making.When Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy students Carmen Gonzales and Honeydi Velasquez started the GigBridge STEM competition, they likely didn't know how to use Google Docs, let alone develop an app.
But the pair took home the top prize in the competition, after spending their afternoons with 11 other students from CGLA and East Lake Academy learning how to make apps.
GigBridge is a program that is designed to introduce students to mobile application development while raising awareness of the obesity epidemic. Thirteen students from GCLA and East Lake Academy participated in the after-school program led by Anjali Chandra, a Girls Preparatory School senior and founder of Global Excel, GigBridge's umbrella nonprofit, and Jill Pala, GPS teacher and GigBridge tech mentor.
"When Anjali Chandra brought the idea of GigBridge app making [course] to me over the summer, I thought it was an excellent idea since the newest-generated jobs are computer- and technology-based," said CGLA associate principal Maryo Beck. "A person could become a millionaire overnight with the creation of an app. Look how Candy Crush took off."
Together, the students worked in the GigBridge program, learning from local health consultants and dietitians about preventing and reducing obesity, and used that knowledge to create a useful mobile app through Appy Pie, an online app creator. Spanish-speaking students were able to create their apps in their native language and work with mentors to translate them.
"It was amazing to see the students who came in not knowing how to use Google Docs or log in into Gmail, grasp the basics of app development and create elaborate slides for their presentations," Anjali said.
The program ended with an awards ceremony on Nov. 14 in which Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke spoke to the participating students and awarded them certificates of participation.
"It has been exciting to see the students realize they have the tools to make their own app. And when they see how what they are learning in school affects building their app, it really opens up possibilities to them," said GigBridge's Project Coordinator Alli Crumley.
"Plans are forthcoming for their apps to be posted to the App Store for free downloads to users," said Beck.