STARS Lead in International App Development Course Aimed to Help Others
October 1, 2020
SCA students Valerie Check ‘22, Isabelle Cipriano ‘21, Sara Isgro ‘22, and Emma Slotka ‘22 were a part of a 13-member cohort of students from five countries who participated in Entrepreneurs’ Academy Teen Change Catalyst program through School of Future.
Their mission was to choose a world problem and build an entrepreneurial, app-based solution to solve it. Each participant was encouraged to choose a particular problem that they were already passionate about.
The participants met via ZOOM, mentored one-another, and workshopped together over the summer. The course culminated with each presenting their pitches for their new app businesses at the Entrepreneurs Expo Sunday, September 13, 2020. Each presentation was followed up with an interactive session where presenters could demo the product and attendees could ask questions about the creators’ process and product.
Our STARS certainly used their feminine genius on full power for this one! After all the votes were in, Slotka placed first and Isgro second. We are extremely proud of the initiative and dedication all four of our STARS showed by completing the course.
Our STAR Graduates from School of Future’s Teen Change Catalyst Program
Emma Slotka
Founder of I-Got-This, an app designed for the families of cancer patients.
Presentation
(begins at 46:45)
Emma Slotka
I-Got-This – 1st Place
Isabella Cipriano
Founder of Hopeful Hands, an app created to help disabled people find jobs.
Presentation
(begins at 1:22:50)
Isabella Cipriano
Hopeful Hands
Sara Isgro
Founder of Sunrise, an app created to help people with their presentation skills.
Presentation
(begins at 1:08:00)
Sara Isgro
Sunrise – 2nd Place
Valerie Check
Founder of Bloom Room, an app created to help teens with mental health issues and how to handle them socially.
Presentation
(begins at 17:00)
Valerie Check
Bloom Room
Full Length Entrepreneurs Expo
Interested in learning more? Click HERE to watch the entire Expo including presentations from students in all five participating countries.
Further Background About School of Future and SCA
In the heart of the COVID-19 quarantine last spring, former SCA English teacher Gayle Brooks and I were approached by a young teacher whom we both taught several years ago. Kelsey Root had followed her passion for reaching young people through teaching, and then found herself in India where she met Aditi Agrawal, another young woman interested in helping students to formulate their passion into something purposeful.
Out of an email exchange with Kelsey came a ZOOM meeting with other educators from around the world. Ms. Brooks and I saw that School of Future was offering was something which our STARS would be able to grab hold of.
For Kelsey and Aditi, School of Future was designed and created to help young people become purposeful, collaborative, and entrepreneurial. They see themselves helping to “future-proof” students so that they feel ready to take on the evolving world, know exactly who they are, know the value they bring, and the skills, tools, and mindsets required to disrupt the world!
What began in India has now become a global enterprise, reaching students in many countries, reaching the United States through the relationship between Kelsey and Ms. Brooks. Ms. Brooks led the charge here at St. Catherine, and despite not being able to make a formal presentation, was able to entice four STARS to jump into the heart of the project. Their 100-day experience began in the late spring.
Learn more about School of Future at: https://www.schooloffuture.in/
God bless,
Judy Hehs
