App for iPads Created By Johnston High School Students Rolls Out This Week

From the Johnston Schools website:

The iPads hadn’t even arrived at Johnston High School before a few students were thinking of ways to make it their own.

During the week of April 8, a small team of students will roll out a new, custom-created JHS app through the iPad in-house app distribution program. The app is a multi-page tool that puts daily information, such as announcements, the Black and White online newspaper, lunch menus, daily schedules, Dragon TV, and the athletics website at the fingertips of students and staff.

Junior Nate Eggleston said the idea to create a unique app started in October. A team of about 13 students brainstormed what features would be most helpful to students and then set to work designing how the app would work and look on the iPads.

“Connor [White] and I were the first ones to really jump on board,” Eggleston said. “We are both interested in this kind of tech development. Nearly every Monday since October, we have worked with Zirous Company, from Clive, IA to design, create, troubleshoot and further develop the app. It’s been a taxing process, but it’s worth it.”

As part creating the app, Eggleston and White, also a junior, wrote code to program the specific functions of the app and its components. For both students, it was a lesson in learning.

“I think anyone who has experience in technology can appreciate the tedious process of coding something,” Eggleston said. “Coding is confusing … almost like a different language.”

But, it’s a different language that seems to be understood pretty well by students at JHS.

“It’s been exciting to work through everything and then finally get it on the iPads,” White said. “I mean, we created an app as high school students – I’m proud of that. This is definitely what I want to go to school for and do in the future.”

Ann Wiley, the instructional technology coordinator for Johnston Community School District, oversaw the development meetings and has also worked with other members of the group on app publicity. Ryan Witt, iPad tech specialist, has also worked with the students on the app coding.

“This is a very cool thing that the students have done,” Wiley said. “They absolutely took this into their own hands and drove the process. This is the kind of innovative learning that technology can foster in young, creative minds.”

The students have discussed ways to publicize the app with other students. Outreach efforts include awareness posters, demonstrating the app during advisory class, and emailing students about the app functions.

“Development is a revision process, and we’re learning as we go,” White said. “It’s going to be cool to see it on all the iPads and watch students use it, knowing I was part of a team that created it.”