Neighbor News
KCSD96 Twin Groves Girls Are National Finalists in Tech Challenge
ProjectCSGIRLS helps middle school girls explore STEM fields
Four KCSD96 Twin Groves Middle School students who opted to invest their thought and energy in creative and productive ways to benefit others are now recognized as national finalists. They are Shraddha Karpoor (grd. 7), Tanusha Santosh (grd. 8), Navya Saxena (grd. 7), and Sadhvi Swaminathan (grd. 8).
Working in pairs, they developed entries for a virtual competition sponsored by ProjectCSGIRLS (projectcsgirls.com). The nonprofit organization encourages middle school girls to explore and develop their interest in STEM fields.
The challenge: Use technology to solve a social problem in the area of global health, a safer world, intelligent technology, or bridging inequalities.
Navya and Shraddha worked together on a project serving people struggling with health issues associated with being underweight–a global issue. They named the app they developed SUP (Serving Underweight People). Their work for the competition included an explanatory video, the app they developed, and a detailed report providing confirmed data highlighting the use and value of their app.
Tanusha and Sadhvi worked together on a project to bridge inequalities by increasing inclusivity in schools. They coded a website to teach students about autism and ADHD. Their project required learning to code, building prototypes, testing, and making recommendations. In April (Autism Awareness Month), they provided info for Twin Groves Daily Announcements that included information to increase students’ understanding, encouraging behavioral change showing compassion rather than judgment.
ProjectCSGIRLS selected 35 projects for 2020 national finalist recognition. Twin Groves students' projects were the only Illinois middle school entries recognized.
Typically, national finalists in the ProjectCSGIRLS competition are invited to Washington, DC, to a national gala celebrating their work and offering opportunities to meet and interact with leaders of tech companies and startups. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the celebration was a virtual event. Held in early August, it featured keynote speakers and panelists from organizations including Duke University, Instagram, and Amazon. It also involved a networking opportunity for middle school participants, which has led to continuing chats and ongoing excitement about possibilities the tech world offers.
