Resaca Middle School Tweens from Los Fresnos, Texas

Resaca Middle School Tweens from Los Fresnos, Texas

The way the visually-impaired navigate new spaces could be transformed by a group of tweens in Los Fresnos, Texas - this week's Peace Fund Heroes of the Week.

Six girls from Resaca Middle School recently became one of eight teams to win the Verizon Innovative App Challenge. The team's concept for a mobile application called Hello Navi earned their school a $20,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation

Inspired by their blind classmate, Andres Salas, the middle schoolers thought up Hello Navi as a guide for the visually-impaired. The app is designed to measure a user's stride and combine this information with digital building blueprints, to then give verbal directions that can help users easily navigate unfamiliar spaces. 

This winning team consists of Resaca students Kayleen Gonzalez (12), Grecia Cano (12), Cassandra Baquero (12), Jacquelyne Garcia Torres (12), Janessa Leija (11), Caitlin Gonzales (12) and their charismatic leader, science teacher Maggie Bolado. 

Working with Andres and his mobility specialist, these tech enthusiasts imagined themselves in the place of the visually impaired, walking through Resaca's halls blindfolded. By experiencing these challenges firsthand, the group pinpointed the features needed to make Hello Navi a success. 

Resaca Middle School Tweens from Los Fresnos, Texas has appeared in the following PEACE Fund Radio episodes: