OREANDA-NEWS. January 15, 2015. Ninety teams of middle school and high school students have earned the title Best in State in the third Verizon Innovative App Challenge, a national competition in which students design a mobile application concept that addresses a need or problem in their local schools or communities.

The teams were selected from more than 1,099 app concepts submitted by school teams nationwide.

The Verizon Innovative App Challenge was created in partnership with the Technology Student Association in response to a critical need to inspire student interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Student interest and proficiency in STEM has been stagnant in the United States, especially among women and minorities, although 80 percent of all jobs over the next decade will require STEM skills. Currently, 3 million STEM jobs are unfilled in the U.S., and occupations related to STEM are projected to increase to more than 9 million by 2022.

Verizon is committed to improving student engagement and achievement in STEM by infusing technology into the classroom through a variety of initiatives. The Innovative App Challenge focuses on ideating concepts for mobile apps, and encourages students to learn about app development. Because mobile devices and apps play a leading role in the lives of young people today, app development is an effective way to engage them, transforming them from users of technology to creators. Teaching app development empowers students to become builders of technology solutions to everyday problems.

More than 90 percent of the winners from last year’s Innovative App Challenge expressed interest in pursuing STEM careers after learning coding and launching their winning app in the Google Play store. Roughly 70 percent reported increased creativity, teamwork and communication skills, and content knowledge.

“Through the Innovative App Challenge, Verizon is cultivating the next generation of innovative and creative thinkers and inspiring them to go into the STEM fields,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, director of education programs for the Verizon Foundation. “The apps from last year’s competition exceeded our expectations, and we were thrilled that one of the Innovative App Challenge winners from last year was invited to the annual White House Science Fair to demonstrate  its ‘Hello Navi’ app, built to help a blind classmate better navigate the halls at school.

“This year’s Best-in-State app concepts are equally impressive,” Nixon-Saintil said. “I’m so proud the Verizon Innovative App Challenge has been the impetus for students across the country to problem-solve, using critical thinking and creativity to develop a concept for an app that could solve an issue in their community.”