Inside Scoutlier x ServiceNow’s Global Challenges, Local Solutions App-A-Thon at the Linda Vista Innovation Center

The energy in the air at the Linda Vista Innovation Center was electric as 37 talented students from Mr. Kim’s middle school classes, part of the San Diego School District, gathered for the Global Challenges, Local Solutions App-A-Thon. This exciting event brought together the sharp minds of young learners and industry experts to tackle real-world problems through innovation, technology, and creativity.

Bridging Industry and Education

This year, we partnered with ServiceNow, a Fortune 500 company specializing in AI-powered workflow automation, to develop the Global Challenges, Local Solutions App-A-Thon. The goal of the App-A-Thon is to provide a valuable opportunity for students from underserved communities, with the mission to inspire and equip students with the skills needed to thrive in rapidly evolving fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

But, it is also part of a broader initiative aimed at preparing students for the workforce by helping them build practical, hands-on experience. The skills these students are developing—problem-solving, teamwork, and tech fluency—will be invaluable when they begin applying for internships, college programs, and eventually full-time jobs in high-demand industries. These types of experiences are exactly what universities and employers are looking for in applications.

Tackling Global Issues with Local Solutions

The competition was divided into two main themes: climate change and cybersecurity. The students were split into groups of four and mentored by ServiceNow experts, Mr. Adam Prem (Global Lead, Defense and Security Mission Solution Consultant) and Mr. David Bourland (Senior Advisory Solution Consultant). Students were either on Mr. Prem’s team or Mr. Bourland’s team, and were competing to see which team of four could create the more innovative solution for their global challenge. 

Hands-on Learning with Cutting-edge No-Code Technology

To kick off the event, students participated in the Micro:bit reaction game, a hands-on activity designed to help them understand hardware, triggers, and how actions initiate a flow. This was an essential step in helping students grasp the fundamentals of a trigger and how a flow works.

Then the students followed along in Scoutlier to continue the process of brainstorming and how they would create their workflow in ServiceNow’s Flow Designer, a tool that allows you to automate tasks and workflow processes—which is absolutely essential in applications. The app development process was a collaborative effort: while two students worked on building the app, the other two focused on creating a compelling pitch deck, complete with logos, branding, and a strategic presentation.

Innovative Student Ideas that Could Change the World

The students’ creativity knew no bounds as they brainstormed ideas that were both innovative and impactful. Some students developed apps that would help people find recycling centers by scanning the UPCs on recyclable materials, while others created virus-scanning apps designed to run in the background of mobile devices and protect users from cyber threats. One team created an app where trees were planted for a certain amount of trash collected and users could gain points for recording their collected trash. The diversity and range of ideas were a testament to the students’ understanding of global challenges such as climate change and cybersecurity—at only 11 to 13 years old.

But the standout app of the day was SS VPN, a VPN service powered by AI that runs in the background to protect users’ online activities and ensure their browsing remains safe and secure. This winning app demonstrated the students’ understanding of cybersecurity and the potential of AI to solve real-world problems.

Why The Global Challenges, Local Solutions App-A-Thon Matters

The Global Challenges, Local Solutions App-A-Thon isn’t just an exciting event—it’s a critical step toward shaping the next generation of innovators. By providing students with the chance to apply their knowledge to real-world problems, the App-A-Thon prepares them for the workforce and sets them on a path to success in changing their own local community for the better. 

Participating in an event like this gives students a unique edge when applying for internships, scholarships, and even future job opportunities. It’s more than just an academic exercise—it’s an investment in their future as they explore career options that didn’t exist a decade ago.

The Impact of Industry Partnerships in Education

The collaboration between Scoultier and ServiceNow highlights the importance of industry partnerships in education. By bringing together experts from the tech industry and students eager to learn, events like this one create a dynamic environment where real-world solutions are born and the next generation of innovators is nurtured.

As the event concluded, the students walked away not only with a sense of accomplishment but also with brand awareness of an organization that is behind the scenes of many other successful companies, exposure to new tech innovations like ServiceNow’s Flow Designer and problem-solving skills that are geared towards tackle real-world problems. 

The Global Challenges, Local Solutions App-A-Thon is the perfect example of how experiential learning and industry partnerships can bridge the gap between the education and real world, and it also has the potential to inspire our future tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators. 

If you would like to find out more about events like this in the future or are interested in bringing an App-A-Thon to your students, you can contact us here.