Apps4VA High School Competition - Win prizes for yourself and your school
The deadline for this competition has passed.
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Submission Requirements1. Use at least one dataset from the VLDS Data Catalog Mashups accepted - Any
publicly available data can be combined with 1 or more of the required datasets 2, Read and agree to Important Documents above. (Detailed entry instructions, guidelines for apps creation and other requirements as well as terms & conditions are this section) 3. Minors must submit the Minor Permission Form. |
EligibilityOpen to all Virginia public high school students in grades 9-12. Entries may be from individuals or teams.
All applicants are required to provide a completed consent form (see Required Documents section on this page) . |
Get Started
1. Read the instructions
2. Decide whether you will submit a Concept Entry or a Working Prototype Entry
3. Check out the data in the Data Catalog
4. You're ready to begin!
2. Decide whether you will submit a Concept Entry or a Working Prototype Entry
3. Check out the data in the Data Catalog
4. You're ready to begin!
Entry Instructions (Deadline January 31, 2013, 5:00 P.M.)
For a Concept Entry, there are 2 easy parts to your submission.
1. Idea: Develop an idea for an app that uses data in a unique way.
2. Explanation (user manual): Write up to five pages to guide judges on how the app should work and how to use it. Include who are the target
users, what datasets you used and how they were used. (If you are a team, include your team's name and all members' names and contact
information in this document.) See Submission Guidelines and Instructions for more detailed information on what to include in this document.
For a Working Prototype Entry, there are 6 easy parts to your submission:
1. Idea: Develop an idea for an app that uses data in a unique way.
2. Explanation (user manual): Write up to five pages to guide judges on how the app works and how to use it. Include who are the target
users, what datasets you used and how they were used. (If you are a team, include your team's name and all members' names and contact
information in this document.) See Submission Guidelines and Instructions for more detailed information on what to include in this
document.
3. Your App: Once your app is ready, you need only supply a link to it so judges can test it.
4. Video Demo: Send us a link to see a demo of your app in action. No need for professional video - just clear sound and picture that show how
the working app should look.
5. Quick Summary: Write a paragraph that can be used to post your entry to the website. Explain who the end users would be and how the app
works.
6. Photograph: Submit a picture to be posted on the website so that voters can match a picture with the summary.
1. Idea: Develop an idea for an app that uses data in a unique way.
2. Explanation (user manual): Write up to five pages to guide judges on how the app should work and how to use it. Include who are the target
users, what datasets you used and how they were used. (If you are a team, include your team's name and all members' names and contact
information in this document.) See Submission Guidelines and Instructions for more detailed information on what to include in this document.
For a Working Prototype Entry, there are 6 easy parts to your submission:
1. Idea: Develop an idea for an app that uses data in a unique way.
2. Explanation (user manual): Write up to five pages to guide judges on how the app works and how to use it. Include who are the target
users, what datasets you used and how they were used. (If you are a team, include your team's name and all members' names and contact
information in this document.) See Submission Guidelines and Instructions for more detailed information on what to include in this
document.
3. Your App: Once your app is ready, you need only supply a link to it so judges can test it.
4. Video Demo: Send us a link to see a demo of your app in action. No need for professional video - just clear sound and picture that show how
the working app should look.
5. Quick Summary: Write a paragraph that can be used to post your entry to the website. Explain who the end users would be and how the app
works.
6. Photograph: Submit a picture to be posted on the website so that voters can match a picture with the summary.
Prizes
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Grand Prize (concept entry)
Grand Prize (prototype entry) Honorable Mention (concept entries) Honorable Mention (prototype entires) Special Teacher Prize* *Awarded to the teacher sponsoring the most student entries |
$ 750
$1,000 $ 500 $ 750 $ 500 |
Things to Consider
Ask yourself:
- What challenges can data solve?
- What apps could be built to create an easy way for schools or school divisions to collaborate or pool resources?
- How can data be used to improve decision-making and, ultimately, to improve the future?
Decisions?
Q: Whose decisions could be affected by the availability of new apps?
A: Those of policymakers, the Virginia Department of Education, schools or school divisions and students.
Examples Here are a few quick examples of ways others have suggested the data could be used.
(* For more examples, visit the Competion page or the Idea Bank)
1. Success Preparation: Can you create an app to show if Virginia students are prepared for college success? (Examples of indicators: percentages of
students who must take developmental [remedial] college courses; percentages of students who earn one year of college credit within a college year)
2. Success Preparation: Can we use the data to show signals (at the school or division level) that can help identify weaknesses in students’ college
and career-ready preparation?
3. Workforce and Future Occupations: Based on current or projected workforce needs, is there a way to determine if Virginia has a sufficient supply of
students to fill those needs? (For example, high demand, high skill and/or high tech jobs – STEM areas: Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics.)
Do we have appropriate/sufficient courses in place?
4. Schools, Divisions, Statewide Processes: What tools could be created to assist in cost improvements/cost reductions?
(For example, is there a way/could a tool be built to link more than one school division or identify ways multiple school divisions can collaborate or pool
resources?)
5. Visual Presentation: Is there a way to combine and display certain data in a visual way to make them easier to understand?
Ask yourself:
- What challenges can data solve?
- What apps could be built to create an easy way for schools or school divisions to collaborate or pool resources?
- How can data be used to improve decision-making and, ultimately, to improve the future?
Decisions?
Q: Whose decisions could be affected by the availability of new apps?
A: Those of policymakers, the Virginia Department of Education, schools or school divisions and students.
Examples Here are a few quick examples of ways others have suggested the data could be used.
(* For more examples, visit the Competion page or the Idea Bank)
1. Success Preparation: Can you create an app to show if Virginia students are prepared for college success? (Examples of indicators: percentages of
students who must take developmental [remedial] college courses; percentages of students who earn one year of college credit within a college year)
2. Success Preparation: Can we use the data to show signals (at the school or division level) that can help identify weaknesses in students’ college
and career-ready preparation?
3. Workforce and Future Occupations: Based on current or projected workforce needs, is there a way to determine if Virginia has a sufficient supply of
students to fill those needs? (For example, high demand, high skill and/or high tech jobs – STEM areas: Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics.)
Do we have appropriate/sufficient courses in place?
4. Schools, Divisions, Statewide Processes: What tools could be created to assist in cost improvements/cost reductions?
(For example, is there a way/could a tool be built to link more than one school division or identify ways multiple school divisions can collaborate or pool
resources?)
5. Visual Presentation: Is there a way to combine and display certain data in a visual way to make them easier to understand?
