Pupils app happy with top industry figure’s praise
GOOD things are “app-ening” at Wick High School, according to one of the app industry’s leading figures who met students to inspire new mobile app ideas that could become a major commercial success.
Thomson Reuters head of advanced product innovation Bob Schukai was impressed with the level of talent which exists at the school that has seen pupils achieve a number of awards as part of the Apps for Good programme.
He travelled from Atlanta to Caithness for the fourth time to meet a record number of pupils from the school who are entering the national competition which challenges them to create apps that can help solve practical problems.
Working alongside Wick High School computing science principal Chris Aitken, Mr Schukai met 88 pupils who have been challenged to come up with a product that can be sold commercially.
Despite the remote location of Wick compared to many parts of the UK, Mr Schukai said the fact the high school has proven geography is no boundary to achieving success in the competition is what inspired him to travel to meet the students.
“The school and the kids are just incredible,” he said. “We have had several students from here who have come down to London to do internships with us as they have proven they are just as smart and creative as anyone in the UK.
“For the last three years, kids from Wick High have won their categories at national Apps for Good, which is amazing.
“Working with the students today, I have seen some ideas which could be real revenue-generating opportunities.
“The geography of Wick is what attracted me to come here and Chris Aitken is a big part of the school’s success as he knows how to bring out the best in them.
“The school has quite a winning streak and to think more than 750 schools take part in the programme, Wick High School has won its categories for the last three years which is incredible.”
The competition involves coding an app and entrepreneurial skills where pupils think of an idea, develop a business plan and design the product before building a prototype and pitching it to industry experts.
Students at Wick High delivered presentations to the judges on Monday, which included former pupil Tanya Howden who has worked at Thomson Reuters as well as studying at the University of Edinburgh.
At the 2015 national Apps for Good awards ceremony, the school picked up the information award for its One Click Politics app which aims to get young people interested in politics.
It is receiving support from Apps for Good and its sponsors to work with development agencies Putitout and Gourmet Pixel to launch the product in 2016.
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Mr Aitken said Apps for Good has encouraged more youngsters to get involved in computing science and to have Mr Schukai giving advice to students has proven inspirational to them.
“We have built up a relationship between Wick High School and Thomson Reuters which has been mutually beneficial,” he said.
“When Bob comes to the high school, he inspires our kids and shows the link between industry and school.
“He shows what the students are working on is what is happening in industry and the relevance of what is being taught in the classroom.
“The key focus at Wick High School is not just to build kids academically but to prepare them for a career in industry.
“We’ve created an ethos at Wick High School of success – the kids see that and know no matter where you are in the world you can compete with anyone.”