Students from Barking and Dagenham have scooped awards in national finals of the annual Digital Skills contest competing against colleges from all over the country.
The 16 to 18-year-olds have been working in teams at Barking and Dagenham College, in Rush Green, on ideas for apps to tackle real-world issues like alcohol, vaping, social media, shopping, drugs, gambling and pornography.
One team designed an app to tackle alcohol abuse called “Sobr’Up”, while another designed an app to tackle pornography addiction called “Pornderer”.
The “Pornderer” team scooped “best presentation” award, while 17-year-old Aviel Murphy from Dagenham was named Student of the Year.
Valiyah Kerr, a 17-year-old from Ilford on a Digital T Level course, said: “I got involved in the competition to get experience of the business world. I was nervous at first but my confidence has grown.”
The students had to persuade a judging panel of experts about their ideas which included top representatives from the Met Police.
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