Student recognized for development of ‘Helping Staten Island’ app | In Class column

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A Staten Island high school student recently won a local competition for the creation of an app that encourages residents to help their home borough.

Marta Bekirman, of New Dorp High School, is the winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for New York’s 11th Congressional District, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis announced last month. Bekirman developed the “Helping Staten Island” app, which was coded using Java, that allows users to locate different volunteering opportunities, both virtual and in-person, throughout Staten Island, and track volunteering hours.

“I was proud to congratulate Marta for winning our office’s Congressional App Challenge two years in a row,” said Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn). “Helping Staten Island would be a fantastic resource for students looking to get involved in our community, track volunteer hours and find ways to give back. When young people volunteer in their communities, they develop essential life skills and a sense of social responsibility that encourages them to be more civically engaged. Marta is extremely creative, and I’m proud to recognize her talent along with her efforts to make Staten Island a better place to live, work and recreate.”

Marta’s app will be displayed in the Capitol, on House.gov and on the Congressional App Challenge’s website for one year.

“I was not able to access many volunteering opportunities on Staten Island, so I wanted to create a resource that anyone could use to locate volunteering opportunities,” Marta said. “The intended audience is students or people on Staten Island who want to help the community become a better place for volunteering.”

The second-place winner is Tobias Lin, of Coney Island Prep High School, who created Pick Up Share, an app that assists busy parents who need someone to drive their children to and from school. The app also includes a database of community-trusted after-school programs and a page where families can donate old uniforms.

The Congressional App Challenge is an annual nationwide competition sponsored by the Internet Education Foundation to inspire students to explore STEM, coding and computer science through hands-on practice.

SCHOLARSHIP OPEN

College students can apply for a scholarship to help pay for school, while also getting the opportunity for a paid internship.

Charter Communications Inc. has opened applications for Spectrum Scholars, the company’s annual scholarship program for underrepresented college students with financial need. Each of the rising college juniors selected for the 2024-2025 program will receive a $20,000 scholarship, will be paired with a Charter mentor and will be given the opportunity for a paid internship with the company.

Eligible students can apply for the program at https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/scholarships/SpectrumScholarsApp2024.

“Spectrum Scholars allows us to support rising professionals through financial and career development support, underscoring our commitment to investing in a skilled and diverse workforce that can best serve the needs of our customers,” said Paul Marchand, executive vice president and chief human resources officer for Charter. “Attracting, developing and retaining employees is key to Charter’s continued success, and this effort begins with entry level roles.”

Now in its fourth year, Charter has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships through Spectrum Scholars. Each of the students selected for the 2024-2025 class of Spectrum Scholars will also have the opportunity to complete the two-year professional development program, designed to introduce them to new career paths and expand their networks — with the potential for full-time employment with Charter post-graduation.

Students also get unique access to networking and professional development opportunities including the Scholars Summit, a three-day event hosted at Charter’s corporate headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.

The deadline for applications is March 1.

Winners will be announced in May, and scholarships will be awarded in August.