Community News

Fantastic ‘app’ titude secures prize for creative minds

Pupils win opportunity to develop app thanks to KC

Pupils from Oasis Academy Immingham, with representatives from Humber EBP, theappleofmyi and KC

Pupils from the Oasis Academy in Immingham have designed their very own app, after winning the top prize at a science education event held in Hull.

TeenTech, organised by the Humber Education Business Partnership (EBP), gave 300 school students aged 12 and 13 from 30 schools across Hull and the Humber the opportunity to conduct experiments, handle leading-edge technology and meet the engineers, technicians and scientists from the world of big business. 

The lively one day event at the KC Stadium helps teenagers see the wide range of career possibilities in science, engineering and technology. It was created by science broadcaster Maggie Philbin and Chris Dodson, Chairman of the Institute of Directors (South) and is run by the Education Business Partnership. The event in Hull was the first time TeenTech had been run outside of the Thames Valley. 

Maggie Philbin said: “Teenagers dream about owning the latest gadgets but few consider they could be shaping the future themselves. There’s a real need to make them aware of the rich opportunities that exist in these areas.” 

One of the highlights of the day was the ‘Design an App’ workshop, which was run by application designers Dave Addey and Alyson Fielding. They challenged each school team to create an app which was innovative and marketable. The teams had to pitch their idea to the other schools and designers in 45 seconds, and the designers were overwhelmed by the quality of the ideas, finding it a struggle to choose the winning apps. 

Prizes for Best Pitch, Best Icon, Most Marketable App, Most Innovative App and Best Teamwork were presented. Oasis Academy Immingham won the grand prize, Best App Overall, with an app that let the user try on different make-up looks and clothes outfits to find out what suits or fits them before they buy. 

The pupils taking part won a day with the team from local application developers theappleofmyi, who helped them develop their app idea, how it should be marketed and how it would look.

The prize was sponsored by KC, whose Commercial and Finance Director, Sean Royce, said: “As a communications company, we want to help show young people that the science, engineering and technology lessons they’re involved in every day at school lead to exciting career opportunities, so that more young people might then choose that career path. The app competition really captured everyone’s imagination, and our congratulations go to the winning team from Oasis Academy Immingham."

Sandra Cooper, General Manager of the Humber EBP said: “TeenTech is a great opportunity for students to find out first-hand about careers in engineering, technology and science.  We know that there will be a very real demand for people with specialist skills in this region and it’s important to make sure that our young people are in a position to benefit from these opportunities."