Record-breaking 17 APS scholars win awards at 2022 Georgia Student Technology Competition

The Department of Instructional Technology in conjunction with the Division of Academics is proud to present the winners of the 2022 Georgia Student Technology Competition (GaSTC). This year, Atlanta Public Schools has a record-breaking number of winners with 17 students winning awards in 3-D Modeling, Animation, Device Modification, Digital Photo Production, Internet Applications, Multimedia Applications, Productivity Design, and Robotics. The students invested several months of rigorous preparation before winning first place at the local level in the APS Technology & Innovation Competition. 

The GaSTC is sponsored by the Georgia Educational Technology Consortium, Inc. This year’s virtual competition included projects in 15 categories from over 400 teams throughout the state in grades 3-12 that were judged on originality, clarity, documentation, and design.

At the top of this year’s list is Midtown High School with three first place winners and South Atlanta High School with five winners from 1st to 3rd place. 

Anaya Mitchell (South Atlanta ’22) and Alexander Rivera Nevarez (South Atlanta ’22), Peter Thrasher (Midtown ’22), along with Eric Villegas-Hernandez and Justin Moreno (Mays ‘22) are also Category Scholarship recipients. The Category Scholarships are awarded to the highest placing senior in each category at the Georgia Student Technology Competition. If no seniors win in a category, the next highest placing senior entry is selected. 

“We are working very hard to bring technology and innovation to the students here at South Atlanta,” said Educational Technology Specialist Jan Dickerson. 

Two of the five students South Atlanta students who placed at the State Competition are seniors Anaya Mitchell (1st Place, Graphic Design) and Alexander Rivera-Nevarez (2nd Place, Digital Photo Production).  Anaya and Alexander credit the experience gained while completing the Fine Arts Pathway at South Atlanta and taking classes in Visual Arts from Mrs. Tokie Taylor.  Both students also scored 5s on the AP exam for 2D design.

“Coding sparks an area in your brain that just makes you want to make things.”

Samuel W. (Long Middle School winner)

Long Middle School’s Samuel W. created a chemistry app to help students learn the periodic table earning him a 2nd place finish. He also runs an after school coding club and says he enjoys coding because “it inspires people to be creative! It sparks an area in your brain that just makes you want to make things.” The app is called “Atom Playground” and can be reached here: https://devsixl.github.io/atom-simulation/

Arianna H. from Sylvan Middle School won 2nd place in the Digital Photography category for 7-8th grade by using the skills she learned in the Golden Bear Photography Club. The club’s sponsor, SGM James Grady, started the program four years ago and meets everyday after school. SMG Grady wanted to create a pathway for students to begin working in the photography industry now and says he “sought out students who wanted to be involved in a program that fostered creativity while developing real-world skills.” Here is a link to Arianna’s winning entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VxtrJUsTR0

The Department of Instructional Technology would like to thank all of the APS students, staff, administrators, teachers, and parents who contributed to our successful participation in the 2022 Georgia Student Technology Competition!