Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) is continuing to help students mobilize their future with its expanded Samsung Mobile App Academies. In its third year, the mobile application (app) development program for high school students will travel to a total of ten cities across the country. The program also features a new app coding curriculum extension – a fundamental component to app development.
The Samsung Mobile App Academies will be held in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. beginning June 17. By participating in the summer program, eligible 11th and 12th grade students have a chance to create a winning mobile app that will qualify them for a chance at $35,000 in scholarships.
Samsung is committed to encouraging the next generation of young professionals to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As app development is considered one of the fastest growing occupations in the technology industry, the curriculum will keep them engaged and excited throughout the rigorous program. During the three-day event, students will work with mobile app industry leaders, learn the many facets of mobile app development, and find out about the growing career field of mobile technology. Students will use the Samsung Galaxy Note™ 10.1 – 2014 Edition tablet as their portal to the program curriculum and tool for researching the digital landscape.
Participants will later be able to submit their own mobile application concept proposal for a chance at scholarship prizing. Samsung will offer a total of $35,000 in scholarships – the grand prize winner will receive a $20,000 scholarship; the 2nd place winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship and the 3rd place winner will receive a $5,000 scholarship. All winners, plus one 4th and one 5th place winner, will receive a new Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
“Samsung is dedicated to providing invaluable hands-on exposure and access to our technology to encourage our youth and next generation,” said Gregory Lee, president and CEO of Samsung Telecommunications America and Samsung Electronics North America. “As a leader in the technology industry we want to create an experience through our mobile app academies that helps youth realize their potential to succeed through STEM education.”
Samsung Mobile App Academies will be held at the following locations:
June 17-19: San Francisco, CA, University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
June 24-26: Atlanta, GA, Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
July 8-10: Washington D.C/Baltimore, MD, University of Maryland (College Park)
July 8-10: Miami, FL, University of Miami
July 15-17: Dallas, TX, University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas)
July 22-24: Detroit, MI, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)
July 22-24: Boston, MA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
July 29-31: Chicago, IL, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)
July 29-31: Philadelphia, PA, University of Pennsylvania
August 5-7: New York City, NY, Cooper Union
In addition to the Samsung Mobile App Academy in ten cities, Samsung will provide online resources for STEM teachers interested in spearheading mobile application courses throughout the school year. Samsung’s program will be offered through Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company.
The Samsung Mobile App Academies have already helped transform hundreds of top-performing high school students into app-conceptualizing experts over the past two years. In 2013, Jeffrey Hong, a twelfth grader at Newman Smith High School in Carrollton, TX, received a $20,000 scholarship for his Dash’corder application which transforms a smartphone into a dashboard camera, keeping the community safe by promoting best driving practices.
