St. Aloysius Students take part in Verizon App Challenge

Sixth and seventh grade students at Saint Aloysius School in Jackson recently took part in The Verizon App Challenge. This is a nationwide contest for middle and high-school-aged students that challenge them to develop concepts for mobile apps that solve a problem in their community. It is a unique, hands-on learning program that teaches collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, and entrepreneurship. Its aim is to equip students with skills needed to succeed in the jobs of the future, delivering to students the promise of a brighter future.

Sixth and seventh grade students learned how to design, research, document, and present an original app to address a problem or need that has affected their team personally, or that their team is in a unique position to solve. The students broke up into several groups and each group developed its’ own particular app, however, they fell into similar ‘app’ categories: To Help Handle Stress and Anxiety in School, World Language Translator, To Address Bullying, To Address Depression and Suicide, To Assist You In case of Fire or Burglary.

Throughout the process, the students also increased their skills in the areas of; Teamwork and collaboration by working in teams of 5 to 7 members; Critical thinking and Creative Problem Solving; and Entrepreneurial skills.

As a result of looking at the needs of our community, the students also built upon their existing character including empathy and grit. One student, Daniel F. commented, “It helped me become a better person by thinking about, and working with my team to develop an application to help the kids who were bullied and less fortunate.”

While the students were not successful in winning the challenge, it was a creative educational event to be involved in and they intend to enter again in the future.

For more information on Saint Aloysius School please visit us on Facebook at Saint Aloysius School, at our website – www.staloysiusschool.com or call our School Office at 732-370-1515 ext. 312.

Submitted by Olive Taylor
Jackson

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.