The 2018 Spring AppJam+ Program concluded with the final Showcase Finale on June 7th with students from 6 middle schools and 1 high school in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District. Dreams for Schools partnered with the Orange County Center for International Trade Development to bring AppJam+ to Valencia High School students and have them build apps with the theme of Global Trade & Business. The Showcase finale event was held at the Performing Arts Center in Placentia - Yorba Linda with presentations from 27 middle school teams and 5 high school teams.
With nearly 160 middle school students from Bernardo Yorba Middle School, Kraemer Middle School, Travis Ranch School, Tuffree Middle School, Valadez Middle School Academy and Yorba Linda Middle School, judges had an incredibly tough task to select 4 four winners to take the prizes and 1 winner for the high school category. In addition to the friendly judging competition, a "Best Poster" award was voted on by participating students.
View videos from each school here!1st Place Winners of Google Chrome Books – Team Snacker Hackers from Kraemer Middle School
App Name: Fitness Fun-atics
Mentor: Iqra A.
Team Members: Michael S., Nina K., Jayden L., Tyler O., Arjun P.
App Description: Fitness Fun-atics is a trivia game with the objective of teaching 7th-12th graders about the importance of eating healthy, exercising, and maintaining good nutrition. The game is set on a track where the character must jump hurdles. Each hurdle represents a question and once the runner approaches one, a question appears on the screen. If the user answers the question correctly, the character jumps over the hurdle. Otherwise, they trip!
Technical Components Used: Audio, ListPicker, Image Sprites, Canvas, Button
2nd Place Winners of Raspberry Pi Kits – Jamming Robot Unicorns from Tuffree Middle School
App Name: Trivia Adventure
Mentor: Marianne T.
Team Members: Jacob C., Marian I., Allison A., Austin F.
App Description: Trivia Adventure is a game in which the player must spin a wheel to determine their category question. This includes all questions based off of science, technology, engineering, and math. The goal of the game is to reach the end of the maze by taking steps. Every correct answer results in moving forward two steps while answering a question incorrectly results in moving backwards one step.
Technical Components Used: Audio, Canvas, Movable Image Sprites, List Picker, Clocks, Labels, Buttons.
3rd Place Winners of Amazon Fire Tablets – The Ping Pongs from Bernardo Yorba Middle School
App Name: Dungeons of STEM
Mentor: Ahad H.
Team Members: Seojoon L., Jordan F., Joseph K., Garen M.
App Description: You have been captured by the four Dark Dungeon Masters who are specialized in the different aspects of STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. In order to escape their wrath you must take your trusty sword and defeat each master by answering ten of their questions. If you successfully beat one of the masters, you will be put up against the next. After these relentless and rigorous trials and tribulations, only then will you be able to be free from The
Dungeons of STEM. BUT BEWARE! The Dungeon Masters won't make it easy. As time passes, the questions become increasingly difficult. You only have
three chances to answer all subject sections correctly or YOU WILL BE DOOMED FOR LIFE!
Technical Components Used: Audio, Collision Detection, Movable Sprites and NPCs, Question Lists, Variables, Clock/Timer, Pixel Art, Global Indices, Image Sprites, Buttons, Canvas.
4th Place Winners of Makey Makey Devices – Undergrads from Kraemer Middle School
App Name: Speedlearn
Mentor: Cass T.
Team Members: Jessica C., Quentin R., Kaitlyn L., Jonathan C., Calvin H.
App Description: The year is 2030. AI controls everything, including schools. One day, the computer system in your school decides to lock up all the students, because it thinks that the kids are not working hard enough. You, the smartest kid in the world, need to prove to the system that humans are intelligent enough. The computer will give you a test on math, history, science, and language arts. If you answer all of the questions correctly, then the students will be freed. The test will take place on two floors of the building, and to access further, you will need parts of the key. Completing all of the subjects gives you the “Master Key”, which you will use to save your classmates.
Technical Components Used: TEach “Screen” is one subject, and each subject has three different multiple choice questions. The app uses buttons for you to click on answers and move on to the next screen. We have many blocks of code to make all of the questions, images, sounds, spacers, and tables.
Student Favorite Best Poster Poster Award Winners of 14 in 1 Solor Robot Kits – The Invaders from Bernardo Yorba Middle School
App Name: Stranded
Mentor: Jayro A.
Team Members: Babak A., Shaheer M., Kush P., Saloni R., Haylie P.
App Description: Stranded was created with inspiration from the classic arcade game Galaga. The game aims to teach 4th-8th grade students about astronomy and follows the adventures of the space pilot, Bob. Lost in an unknown part of space, Bob wants to return to his mothership. But first he must get past aliens trying to swarm his ship. By answering questions about the solar system, you will help Bob get back safely. As questions pop up on the screen, you must shoot the planet corresponding to the correct answer. Waiting too long to answer or shooting the incorrect planet results in critical health injuries.
Technical Components Used: Animations, Audio, Buttons, Clock-Timers, Hand-Drawn Graphics, and Lists.
Center for International Trade Development Category Winner – Team Error 404 from Valencia High School
App Name: Working the World
Mentor: Samantha Y.
Team Members: Raina H., Eric B., Brian G., Dhruv P.
App Description: Learn about three different regions around the world by interacting in mini-games by "Working the World". In each mini-game, get ready to experience different cultures in our world. Be a cook by "Cooking in the World" and find out about Asia and its various types of dishes in that region. Find out about the Latin America region through answering true/ false questions and being a distributor by "Shipping in the World", and help send boxes. Lastly, be an agent by "Spying on the World". Go on a mission to learn about Europe and its region.
Technical Components Used: Random Selection, Layouts, Audio,Buttons, Image Sprites,Canvas, Text.
This was our 2nd time partnering with PYLUSD to bring the AppJam+ to all 6 of their middle schools and it was a grand success! The students were bold, enthusiastic, inspiring and impressive as they presented not only at their tables, but also on stage in front of a large audience.
Thank you all for your support of a program that not only helps participants gain technical skills and knowledge of possible STEM career paths but also increases each participant's belief in themselves and their aptitude for a career in STEM fields.
Thank you to our judges Vivian Cuesta, Carey Cecil, Minerva Gandara, Olivia Yaung, Carrie Buck, Rose Mergelmeyer, Gisele Nguyen-Gill, Chris Beh, Eddie Tabata Kunal Hinduja, Alejandra Landa, Jenna Lang, and Abraham K. Adhanom!
A special thank you to our partners: UC Irvine, CSU Fullerton, Luna Grill, Noosa, Kay Family Foundation, Croul Family Foundation.
Support us, see photos & stay in touch through our Social Media! Like us on Facebook & Instagram