Student Software Project Heading To White House

A team of student tech wizards will have their helpful transportation software shown off at the White House on Tuesday.

The NXTreme Team, a FIRST LEGO League Team based in Mont Vernon, N.H., will have a team representative present their web-based transportation software at the 2012 White House Science Fair hosted by President Barack Obama on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

The event celebrates the student winners of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country. The NXTreme Team, who are also New Hampshire’s 2012 FIRST LEGO League State Champions, won the gold medal for their PickUp Patrol project in the 2011 Christopher Columbus Awards, a national science and technology competition for middle school students.

The software, called PickUp Patrol (patent pending), is a web-based solution that helps kids get home from school safely and efficiently. The software enables parents to modify their child's transportation plan online via a secure site. The students analyzed, designed, programmed, tested, and deployed the software that was built using enterprise development tools including Microsoft C# and SQL Server database.

Anthony Edvalson, a student at the Academy for Science and Design, will have the honor of representing the team.

At the fair, Edvalson, along with the President and other competitions winners, will view student exhibits ranging from breakthrough research to new inventions, followed by remarks by the President on the importance of STEM education to the country’s economic future.

The team is made up of students from the Mont Vernon Village School, Amherst Middle School and the Academy for Science and Design. Team members include Elizabeth Apple, Brian Apple, Annemarie Edvalson, Bryan Rose, Rylee Noorda, Nick Zumbo, and Tony Edvalson. The team is coached by Eric and Maria Edvalson.

Also contributing to the PickUp Patrol project is former team member Olivia Edvalson, a sophomore at Souhegan High School.

This software concept originated from the FLL 2009 “Smart Move” challenge, in which teams strived to find an innovative solution to a transportation problem in their community. 

Over the past two years the team have been working closely with MVVS Principal, Sue Blair, Tom Campbell, Charlotte Jameson, MVVS PTA, and SAU #39 Tech Staff to implement the software. Once PickUp Patrol is established at MVVS, the district has plans to incorporate it into their other elementary schools.

The NXTreme Team is currently preparing to compete at the 2012 FIRST LEGO League World Festival, held in April in St. Louis MO. The team will take its LEGO robot and new Food Factor innovation, called Milk ‘O Meter, to compete against the top 80 teams, selected from 20,000 worldwide.

The team is raising money to help with expenses associated with the trip. Donations can be made to: NXTreme Team at 2 Wallace Lane, Mont Vernon, NH 03057.