Brookfield High Team Wins Third Place in Congressional App Contest

A Brookfield High School team took third place in the first annual Congressional STEM Competition, a nationwide congressional academic competition where high school students compete by programming an app for mobile, tablet or computer devices.

Brookfield’s team — students Michael Abbondondolo, Zachary Mangold, James Steel and Ari Elfenbein, and advisor Andrew Hill, a BHS math teacher — created BHS MApps, an app to help freshmen adjust to their new school.

The app includes a school map and useful features like a homework planner and SAT prep Question of the Day, and can be used with the iPad given to each incoming freshman.

Watch their YouTube video presentation above.

Rep. Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) and Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) hosted a reception for the winners on Monday. Rep. Esty, along with a panel of judges (listed below), selected the three winning entries. The first place winner’s YouTube videos will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol and on the U.S. House of Representatives website.

Esty is a cofounder of the Congressional STEM Competition. The competition was open to all high school students who live in or are eligible to attend public schools located in the 5th District. Teams must have at least one 5th District resident. Students (individually or in teams of up to four) entered the competition by submitting a YouTube video explaining their app.
 
This year’s first and second place winners are:

First Place: Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy team for their app, “Emergency Messenger.” Team members included Sean McCarthy (New Britain), Kristopher Marques (West Hartford), and Eliot Serrano (East Hartford). Their app keeps teachers informed when there is a school emergency, providing them with important information and updates. View their YouTube video here.

Second Place: Joseph (“Joey”) Bechard from New Britain High School for his app, “Bus Tracker.” Joey is a member of the CT Pre-Engineering Program in New Britain. Bus Tracker helps students know exactly where their bus is without using an external GPS. View his YouTube video here.
 
The judges for the competition included:

• Dr. Peter Angelastro, NVCC STEM Academic Division Director
• Joe Pereira, Stanley Black & Decker Healthcare CIO
• Felix Cowey, Starbase Deputy Director
• Bruce Dixon, CT Pre-Engineering Program CEO
• Tom Maloney, CT Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) Director of Technology, Research, and Applications