Tri-County Students Compete In National Mobile App Contest

A mobile app concept created by sophomores in Tri-County Regional's Computer Information Systems Program is in the running for the national Verizon App Challenge Fan Favorite award.

The app proposal, which would transform the school's late bus pass system to an all-electronic format, won Best in State in the high school section of the Verizon Innovative App Challenge. Each team member won a tablet computer and $5,000 to be used for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) initiatives at Tri-County.

Tri-County students working on the app challenge

Team members Dylan Ross, of Franklin, Micah Perkins, of Medway, Victoria Rezza, Dylan Lavimodiere, and Robert Paige, all of North Attleborough, Eric Bernard, of Plainville, and Tyler Mello, of Seekonk, said the idea for the app came to them very early on in the brainstorming process. Currently, students who stay after school for academic help, athletics, or extracurricular activities must visit the Main Office to get a pass for the late bus. The late buses transport students to designated stops within their hometown.

"We had to go from one classroom to get a pass to go either to the Main Office or the Homework Center to get a pass, to then even just get on a bus, and then sometimes the bus would be full and we'd have to wait for another bus. So basically, we just had the idea to make an app that would do all that for us, so then you would click ‘reserve,’ select the bus that you want and just wait," explained Eric Bernard.

The students thanked their teachers, Kim Zogalis and Christopher Cadorette, for encouraging them to participate in the initial “Best in State” competition. The group was elated upon learning from Mrs. Zogalis that they advanced to the national App Challenge Fan Favorite contest. The group could win an additional $15,000 for their school. 

To win this award, the students must get the most votes. Voters must text "LatePass1" to 22333 by January 31 to vote for Tri-County's app.

The winner of the app challenge will also have the opportunity to work with experts at MIT on building a working app, but the students at Tri-County are wasting no time in developing their product.

"Right now, we're wire-framing it, which is basically drawing what is going to look like," said Bernard.




The 30 second concept video of the app is shown here: