Land O’ Lakes, FL – (November 30, 2016) – Congressman Gus Bilirakis recently announced that Land O’ Lakes High School student Nikhil Dutt won the 2016 Congressional App Challenge for Florida’s 12th Congressional District.
Nikhil’s app, “Student Toolbox,” was designed to simplify students’ lives. It helps students organize tasks, with tools such as reminders for assignment due dates; connect with teachers and peers through an address book; map out their classrooms by uploading maps of the school; and a “Media” button to use to upload podcasts, assignments and lectures from classes or online resources. Nikhil used a Microsoft Access program to create the app. Click here to watch a video demonstration of “Student Toolbox.”
“At Land O’ Lakes, we’re always pleased to see our students go a step beyond their daily classroom experiences,” said Assistant Principal Jeff Morgenstein. “Nikhil’s work demonstrates how he blends his scientific interests with an understanding of others’ needs. With technology like smartphones in nearly every student’s hands, this app can become a powerful resource for learning.”
Nikhil engaged in this project as a side interest, which is indicative of his naturally inquisitive and purposeful nature. He is a senior in the school’s International Baccalaureate Programme.
App submissions were judged by a panel of judges made up of teachers, tech professionals and entrepreneurs. The judging criteria includes:
Quality of the idea (including creativity and originality);
Implementation of the idea (including user experience and design); and
Demonstrated excellence of coding and programming skills.
About the Congressional App Challenge
The Congressional App Challenge is a congressional initiative, managed by the Internet Education Foundation [IEF], a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It was first established by the Congressional Internet Caucus and Co-Chairs Rep. Bob Goodlatte and Rep. Anna G. Eshoo spearheaded the effort. In 2015 the App Challenge had 116 successful App Challenges hosted by Members of Congress, over 1700 student participants and more than 500 apps submitted. So far, 161 Members of Congress from 38 states are participating in the 2016 Challenge.
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