The Niagara Falls teacher has been coming up with app ideas for a number of years but discovered that developing and marketing an app can be a costly endeavour.
“I have these ideas since tablets came out but I found out that some apps are $30,000 to develop,” he said.
In December, however, the tides turned when he discovered Applits, a U.S.-based company that does all the legwork for budding app creators.
“The concept was great,” he said. “They want to make to make peoples’ dreams come true.”
Applits recently held a contest asking for app ideas and Stranges submitted an idea of an app that makes it easy for users to donate to a charity of their choice.
The app identifies charities based on a user’s preferences whether it’s from a recently-watched YouTube video or a news story.
“The goal is for it to be intuitive,” Stranges explained.
Users can donate to a charity and also win points towards additional monetary funds to use towards a future donation.
His iDonate app impressed the judges who felt the app fit perfectly with the company’s AppForCharity campaign.
MUNDELEIN, Ill.— NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, will become a flying classroom for Carmel Catholic science teacher Marcella Linahan during research flights that she will participate in as an Airborne Astronomy Ambassador.
Ms. Linahan and her partner, Lynne Zielinski from the National Space Society, Long Grove, Ill., are one of twelve two-person teams that have been selected for SOFIA’s Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program, representing educators from 10 states.
In April, Ms. Linahan will spend one week at Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif. training and then flying on SOFIA for two missions. Each team will be paired with a professional astronomer to observe how airborne infrared astronomy is conducted. After her flight opportunity, Ms. Linahan will take what she has learned back to Carmel Catholic to promote science literacy.
“I am excited that I can experience astronomical data collection first-hand, and then bring this data and experience back to my students,” Ms. Linahan remarked. “I am passionate about exposing the students to authentic science research. I want them to realize that a STEM career is something that is exciting and obtainable.”
On Saturday morning, November 3, 2012, Catholic educators from around the globe gathered on Twitter for the first ever Catholic Ed Chat. Participants included administrators, diocesan officials, and teachers from all curricular areas and grade levels, from places as diverse as Los Angeles, Omaha, Spokane, Virginia Beach, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Salt Lake City, Baltimore — even Sydney, Australia!
The plan was for these chats to take place monthly, but the energy, enthusiasm, and excitement was so contagious, that the chats are now planned for every Saturday morning at 9:00am Eastern.
Don’t worry if you missed the first one; Nancy Caramanico (@ncara) has posted a transcript of the conversation at Storify: #CatholicEdChat transcript.
To participate, simply search for the Twitter hashtag #CatholicEdChat. An even easier way to follow the conversation is to use the website TweetChat.
Whether you just want to lurk and observe the conversation, or whether you’re dying to share your story, CatholicEdChat is a great way to connect with other Catholic teachers.
Happy Catholic Schools Week! To celebrate, I’ve put together a list of 101 resources that no Catholic educator should be without. From Twitter users to bloggers, from social networks to teaching tools, it’s all here in one convenient spot. Share the love, spread the news, and tell the world about Catholic Schools!
Now it’s your turn. What have I left off the list? What are your essential resources for Catholic teachers? Leave your suggestions in the comment area.
That’s the opinion of Doris and Thomas Briant, the parents of four Catholic teachers:
In the parable of the sower, Jesus taught his disciples that God’s word must be nurtured to yield a fruitful harvest, words that four members of the Briant family — sisters — have taken to heart.
Alison Briant Burley, Ellen Briant Reilly, and Susan and Katelyn Briant are Catholic educators.
Their parents, Doris and Thomas Briant, made sure they all had 12 years of Catholic education, despite the prospect of all that tuition.
“My motivation was to show (our) commitment to Catholic education,” Doris said. “We didn’t have family vacations, we went to Cape May for the day. You can give up all those trips to Disney World. The benefits you get (from Catholic education) are better than all those trips to wherever.”
Read all about their daughters and their teaching careers here.
Ms. Linahan and her partner, Lynne Zielinski from the National Space Society, Long Grove, Ill., are one of twelve two-person teams that have been selected for SOFIA’s Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program, representing educators from 10 states.
On Saturday morning, November 3, 2012, Catholic educators from around the globe gathered on Twitter for the first ever Catholic Ed Chat. Participants included administrators, diocesan officials, and teachers from all curricular areas and grade levels, from places as diverse as Los Angeles, Omaha, Spokane, Virginia Beach, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Salt Lake City, Baltimore — even Sydney, Australia!
In the parable of the sower, Jesus taught his disciples that God’s word must be nurtured to yield a fruitful harvest, words that four members of the Briant family — sisters — have taken to heart.