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Gardening App Could Win Aston Students Big Money

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are hugely popular mobile apps, but kids at a local middle school are hoping to reach people with their invention as well.

As part of the Verizon Innovative Learning App Challenge, 6th graders from Northley Middle School in Aston have devised the framework for an impressive program.

"The kids have to identify a problem either in their school or in their home or in their community," says Renee DiPietro, a teacher at Northley Middle School. "And then they have to figure out a solution for that and why its unique, why it doesn't exist out there already. "

While it was a group effort, Katelynn Strehle came up with the initial idea for a gardening app.

"I was in my neighbor's house and she pulled a muscle in her arm and she wasn't able to get around to her garden that much," said Strehle. "And so when I was around I always helped her, but I wasn't always around. When we were in class I thought of this app to help her."

The app allows for your garden to flourish, even when you can't be there.

"You can find people nearby to help you with your garden. And it like gives you facts and tips about your plants," says Strehle.

DiPietro says that set in motion a chain of events that saw the school win best in State, $5,000 from Verizon, and tablets for each student in the class.

"First place gets to go to the White House and they get to work with a group of MIT professionals who will help create the app….the app would be a real thing," DiPietro said.

You can help the students out by voting HERE.

If they get the most votes, they'll win $15,000 for their school program.

You can also TEXT "garden" to the number 22333, voting runs through tomorrow.

 

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