Insert Date: for Immediate Release

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Elstree UTC students crack the code as their app Rocket Code! is a finalist in national Apps for Good competition

A team of 15 year olds from The Elstree UTC, Hertfordshire has been announced as one of the finalists for the prestigious national Apps for Good Awards in the Information category, powered by Thomson Reuters for their app idea Rocket Code!. The team has spent months working on the app, which is a space adventure game where you must learn to code in order to advance.

Selected from hundreds of applicants from across the UK, the team behind will now pitch their app idea to a panel of industry leaders at the annual Apps for Good Awards, to be held on 20th June at the Barbican in London.

Now in its fifth year, the Awards recognise and celebrate young entrepreneurs. Any students who study the free Apps for Good course – currently being delivered in 1,000 schools nationwide – are able to enter the awards in order to have the chance to work with a professional development agency and have their app launched on the market. The Rocket Code! team are now down to the final three and competing against two other teams in their category in the hope that their app can be the one that is brought to life in 2017.

The team is made up of: Adam Wright (15), Leah Corry (15), Asher Agard (15), Thomas Carty (15), Zac Noble (15), James Sharpe (15) who all took part in the Apps for Good course in their school, The Elstree UTC.

David Zerafa head of Computer Science ‘I am highly impressed by the ongoing hard work and dedication from the Rocket Code! team. Their app is accessible, well designed and full of potential’

Peter Holt Director of Production Arts ‘Rocket Code!, who wouldn’t download it! Awesome work from a budding group of designers and programmers, a great example of project based learning in action.’

Chris Mitchell Principal of Elstree UTC ‘I am immensely proud that Rocket Code! has been selected as a finalist of Apps for Good 2016. This project perfectly reflects Elstree UTC’s ethos - to combine academic rigour, creative artistry, cultural competence and technical awareness with industry-relevant experience through our partners and trustees.’

Debbie Forster, co-CEO of Apps for Good explains, “Massive congratulations to Rocket Code! for becoming a finalist in this year’s Apps for Good Awards. The calibre of apps submitted from across the country was, once again, phenomenal, and proves we have a generation of very bright young digital makers, bursting with ideas and ready to thrive in a tech driven future.

“Our mission at Apps for Good is to equip these young people with the skills to allow them to move from being technology consumers to technology creators. We wish Rocket Code! and all of the other finalists, the best of luck for the Awards ceremony.”

The Information category is sponsored by Thomson Reuters. Bob Schukai, Head of Advanced Product Innovation at Thomson Reuters commented:

“We are tremendously proud to once again sponsor the Apps for Good program. Every year, I am impressed by the inventive solutions created by these young technologists to solve real world problems. Investing in tomorrow’s innovators is key to building the world of the future. I look forward to watching their continued progress in the years to come.”

For a full list of finalists head to http://www.digitalnewsroom.co.uk/afg/

To arrange interviews, speak to spokespeople or with any questions, please contact:

Elly Barham Marsh, Niamh Kelly t. 0203 1279 270 e. [email protected], [email protected]

Notes for editors

Finalists for the Apps for Good Awards 2016 Category Category Sponsor Finalist Teams Information Thomson Reuters ● Rocket Code! – Elstree UTC ● Fear Nothing – Westfields Junior School ● Spells – Queen’s College London Sustainable Queen Elizabeth Olympic ● Donate iT – Connell Sixth From College Communities Park ● Tórr – Speyside High School ● Yum! – Weston Park Primary School Connected Salesforce.org ● Lilies – Stratford Girls’ Grammar School Communities ● Pet Sit – The St. Marylebone CE School ● Destination For You – Gearies Primary School Productivity SAP ● Allergy Basket – Westfields Junior School ● PocketCook –Wick High School ● The School Council App – Denbigh High School Accessibility Samsung ● DiPloy – Denbigh High School ● Changes – Coleridge Primary School ● Disability Society – Mount Grace School People’s Choice EE Award

About Apps for Good

Apps for Good is an education technology movement that is transforming the way technology is taught in schools, turning young tech consumers into tech creators. Apps for Good aims to unlock the confidence and talent of the next generation of problem solvers and digital makers: young people who are ready to tackle the 21st century workplace and are inspired to create real technology products that can change their world for good.

Working alongside educators Apps for Good has developed a free flexible course framework that infuses digital learning with teamwork, creativity and entrepreneurship. Students find a problem they want to solve and apply new skills to making a real life app, exploring the full product development cycle from concept to coding to launch in a way that brings the classroom to life.

Apps for Good partners with educators in schools and learning centres to deliver its app development course to young people 8-18 years of age. Since launching in 2010/11 Apps for Good has been delivered in over 1,000 schools to more than 75,000 students. Apps for Good is a registered charity and is supported by partnerships with companies and foundations who share their vision of improving technology education. Corporate partners and sponsors include technology leaders Thomson Reuters, Salesforce.org, Nominet Trust and Samsung to name but a few.