Question

App-tastic Teens
Teen Channel: Technology

Trying to ascertain whether the weather necessitates a hoodie or a coat? Perhaps you're in need of advice from someone you can trust, or maybe you're just looking for a diversion while you wait in line. Yes, there's an app for that! The plethora of options in app creation software is making it easier than ever to create the perfect app for any contingency, and teens throughout the world are getting in on the action, flexing their tech muscles and developing some pretty app-tastic programs.

Making a Positive Impact

At age 8, Ariana Sokolov accidentally walked into a computer lab while looking for her photography class, yet instead of a lesson in lighting and composition, she got a crash course in computer programming—discovering that she was a naturally adept coder. In high school, she ran a coding club empowering young women to solve social problems using computer science.

Sokolov put her own advice to work when she learned that many LGBTQ teens felt too vulnerable to freely express themselves within their communities. Collaborating with peers, she created Trill—a social media platform where LGBTQ teens can anonymously gather to share their experiences in a supportive environment, with trained moderators ensuring a safe and affirmative experience.

"It's not just about how apps look or function," Sokolov told Apple. "It's about how they make people feel…. You can create positive emotions in others or make them feel like they can open up and find a safe place."

Finding Solutions

Yuma Soerianto isn't your typical 15-year-old—the wunderkind has created multiple apps, is a five-time winner of the Apple Worldwide Developer's Conference/Swift Student Challenge, and, in his spare time, teaches beginners to code on his YouTube channel. The deft developer turned to coding as a boredom buster when he was 6, preferring it to watching reruns on TV.

By 8 years old, Soerianto had learned to code using a programming language called Swift. He quickly put his newfound erudition to work by creating whimsical apps that brought levity to mundane tasks—like receiving weather forecasts from an animated duck, using a hand-drawn talking calculator for computations, or turning the endless "what's for dinner" debate into a game of chance with the Hunger Button. Recently, Soerianto turned his attention to augmented reality (AR), devising a game called Let's Stack AR! where players work with a UFO-flying duck to construct block towers in real-life settings.

As in his popular stacking game, Soerianto admits that he's hit a few walls in app development, but he just keeps building. "There are so many ways you can solve a problem, but you just have to find one solution," he says. His advice to aspiring app developers is simple: "Keep persevering and never give up."

Breaking Barriers

Tech-savvy teens Margaret Akano, Rachael Akano, and Joy Njekwe believe that coding can be a means to changing the world. Not only did the Nigerian-Irish trio develop an award-winning app to assist dementia patients and their caregivers, they're also proving that girls of color can more than hack it in the male-dominated field of computer science.

Inspired by their mentor, Evelyn Nomayo, whose mother had dementia, the teens developed Memory Haven—an app that incorporates facial and voice recognition software, sets reminders for taking medication, and has a customizable music feature. The young women are hoping to build on their success to pave the way for more diversity in STEM.

"I feel like we have this stigma behind girls especially getting into tech and it's challenging," Njekwe told Silicon Republic, a technology and science news website. "But at least we're trying to break it…. I believe that we will one day be fully represented in the tech industry."

From finding solutions to positively impacting the world, these enterprising teens demonstrate that the next generation of tech innovators is just getting started. Maybe you've got an idea of your own—whether you're a tech expert or a neophyte, turning that idea into reality could be just a few keystrokes away.

Think about and discuss these questions:
Why did these young people decide to create apps? What other reasons do you think app developers might have?
What ideas do you have for a fun or helpful app?

Question 6


6 / 8

Which is the closest antonym for the word neophyte, as it is used in the article?


courier
hypocrite
mentor
surrogate

Answer 1

mentor

Explanation: "Neophyte" means a beginner or novice; "mentor" refers to an experienced guide or teacher, which is the closest opposite.