Students in Mount Carmel School’s Advance Placement Computer Science Principles course recently submitted computer apps to the annual U.S. Congressional App Challenge. Of the 21 entries submitted to the Office of Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan, 12 are from Mount Carmel.
The students were led by 2017 Teacher of the Year Filmah Buenaflor, who enrolled in Mobile CSP, one of the nation’s leading programs in curriculum design and instructional methods for teaching APCSP.
Endorsed by the College Board and open only to a few select instructor from across the nation, the program ran for four weeks this past summer and included a weeklong immersion program in Duluth, Minnesota.
Buenaflor used lessons and resources from Mobile CSP to help students develop their apps. The apps developed by the students cover a wide array of interests and needs in the community. Three apps are designed to help students with schoolwork.
Pocket Homework by Cassidy Torres and Tawnie Manibusan reminds students about their homework and The Thought Bubble by Joanie Paraiso helps students with their writing assignments, providing information and tips on different genre or themes. 7W by Cliare Calage is an app that allows users to plan for a week and write your thoughts/ideas.
Two apps focus on helping tourists on island. Saipan Dash by Jonelle Toskas and SeokJun Yun is a travel guide app for those who want to visit Saipan. Once downloaded, the app will give you directions even without an internet connection. Travel Guide by Nathanael Lim and Yuri Fukushi includes some recommendations on where to go and what to do while on Saipan. Translations for each button are also available.
Three gaming apps were also developed: 3 in 1 (Draw, Talk to me, and Game) developed by Eric Kiser, Starfish Tap by Jehnifer Villagomez and Quina Sablan, and Find the Latte Stone by Annalei Santos.
Other apps submitted reflect the varied interests of the Knights. Saipan Buy and Sell by Jose David Pangelinan and Christian Villacrusis allows users to post and sell items online, while CommYounity by Jeff Matthew Melchor and Erika Mendiola records Community Service hours. This will help students monitor their service hours. What’s App by Shana Mafnas and Miki Takayama allows users to create and view schedule and also make some sketches, and Saipan Flora by Michelle Palacios and Darian Salas is an app about the different flowers that can be found on-island.
The Congressional App Challenge is a public effort to encourage children to learn how to code, through annual district-wide competitions hosted by members of Congress for their district. Students in participating districts code original applications for the chance to be selected for recognition by their member of Congress, win prizes, and have their work put on display in the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. The district-wide competitions, now in their third year, take place from July through early November. The CAC is executed by the congressional staff of each participating district, and coordinated by the Congressional Internet Caucus and the non-governmental sponsor of the project, the Internet Education Foundation.
