2 minute read
Student News
By Noelle Becker
NIRVAAN MEETS APPLE CEO TIM COOK VIRTUALLY DURING APPLE’S 2021 SWIFT STUDENTS CHALLENGE AWARDS CEREMONY.
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Harbor Day is excited to announce that fourth grade student NIRVAAN is one of the 350 winners worldwide in Apple’s 2021 Swift Students Challenge! Winners of the contest got to attend a special event and present their winning submissions to Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook. Mr. Cook was quoted as saying to Nirvaan, “It’s been amazing that you have been able to do all that you’ve done—and you are 10 years old!” All the other winners this year were 15 years of age or older. Nirvaan worked diligently for many months to create his app.
What is the name of the app? Think Before You Throw!
How did you come up with the idea? I think the Earth is an amazing planet and should be cared for by everyone, so I made a game that teaches kids how to recycle. We all need to take our part to stop pollution and conserve.
What does the app do? The app shows you an object and three bins (Recycle, Trash, and Compost), and you pick which bin the object goes in. If it is correct, it shows a happy message, and if it’s wrong, then it reveals what bin it’s supposed to go in. There are multiple objects that go in different bins.
How do you feel about winning the challenge? Out of this world! I was so happy on the day I woke up to find out I had won—I was jumping up and down! Everyone in my fourth grade class was amazed when my teacher, Mrs. Chiao, explained what the challenge was, and I got to share the game with my classmates. The best surprise was that I got to present to Mr. Tim Cook (CEO of Apple) about my apps and my story. The fact that I got to present to the CEO of Apple was amazing, inspiring, and motivating.
Can we find the app in the app store? The recycling game is not yet in the app store, but I have two other apps in the app store: one math app and one AR building app. They can be found at
HTTPS://TINY.ONE/NSAPPS.
The Swift Student Challenge showcases students’ passion for coding. They are able to create an app on a topic of their choice. The Harbor Day community gives Nirvaan a standing O for his incredible achievement! n
