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Welcome to The Maine App Challenge

In cooperation with University of Maine and Educate Maine Project>Login, Tyler’s Maine App Challenge provides the opportunity for Maine students to explore the world of software design and development.

Created in 2015, this annual Challenge provides Maine students the chance to show off their skills and creativity by building a mobile application. Not only is this a unique way to develop abilities, but participants also have the chance to win valuable prizes, including scholarships totaling $10,000!


2023 Winners

We are excited to share the winners of the 2023 Maine App Challenge!

“Every year, we’re so impressed by the creativity of these high school students in their app creation,” said Chris Webster, president of Tyler’s ERP & Civic Division. “We hope that the Maine App Challenge continues to inspire these students to explore STEM-related careers in the future, especially careers in Maine as we want these talented students to know there are hundreds of great companies in Maine who need their skills.”

The three Maine App Challenge winners were rewarded with college scholarships totaling $10,000 in 529 college savings plans. Since its inception, the Maine App Challenge has gifted more than $80,000 in 529 college savings plans to students in Maine.

Read More About The Winners

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Questions?

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Follow Maine App Challenge on Social

 

What is the Maine App Challenge?

Purpose Statement

The purpose of Tyler Technologies’ Maine App Challenge is to provide middle and high school students in our state access to STEM-related programs and encourage them to pursue college degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math for rewarding careers in Maine. We will accomplish this by awarding scholarships, mentoring students, and connecting coding activities with technology-related careers. The Maine App Challenge will inspire students, many of whom may not have access to computer science classes, to stay in Maine and pursue STEM careers in our state.

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Overview

Love technology? Here is a chance to put your passion to a purpose and win a scholarship along the way! The Maine App Challenge is an incredible opportunity for Maine middle school and high school students who are 13 years of age and older to create a mobile application with a chance to win a scholarship and other valuable rewards. There are three scholarships available for the top mobile apps: $6,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place, and $1,000 for third place.

Other awards include:

  • $500 to the high school with the highest participation
  • Oculus VR Headsets to the top 20 submissions
  • A guaranteed internship interview for the top 10 submissions following his/her college sophomore year

Student Information Teacher Information

What is STEAM?

Jobs in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) are lucrative; yet, only 20 percent of U.S. high school graduates are prepared for college-level coursework in these majors. In fact, fewer than half of the schools in the U.S. offer computer science classes – and in Maine, the only requirement to being a computer science teacher is to have a Maine State teacher certificate. That’s why it is so important for everyone in Maine, not just educators, to work together to provide all students with an introduction to STEAM through programs like the Maine App Challenge.

Learn More

Challenge Rules

Participation is free, and you or your team retains ownership of the application, as well as all data rights and intellectual property included in your submission.

Both app and video must be submitted by March 31, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. with a signed consent form. 2023 Maine App Challenge Participation, Consent, and Release Form

All participants must be Maine residents attending middle school or high school over 13 years of age. Individual submissions or teams of two or three students are welcome.

No child, stepchild, or household member of any person employed by Tyler Technologies or Educate Maine may submit an app.

See a detailed explanation of the 2023 Maine App Challenge rules »

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FAQs

Find the answers you need

Below we have included frequently asked questions on the Maine App Challenge. Get answers about participation, rules, and the evaluation process.

If you cannot find what you're looking for, please complete the form on the right and a team member will get back to you. You can also sign up to receive Maine App Challenge email updates.

Who is Tyler Technologies?

Tyler Technologies is a leading provider of end-to-end information management solutions and services for local governments. Tyler partners with clients to empower the public sector — cities, counties, schools, and other government entities — to become more efficient, more accessible, and more responsive to the needs of citizens. Tyler’s client base includes more than 15,000 local government offices in all 50 states, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, and other international locations. Consistently named one of the Best Places to Work in Maine, Tyler has more than 900 employees located in Yarmouth, Falmouth, and Bangor.

Who can participate in the Maine App Challenge?

Participants must be (i) at least 13 years old as of the date of the submission, (ii) a Maine resident, and (iii) taking high school level classes (public, private and home school students are all eligible). Children and stepchildren of, and/or students living in the same household as a Tyler or Educate Maine employee or Maine App Challenge judge, are not eligible to participate.

When do I enter?

The contest will be open on November 2 and the submission period ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on March 31, 2023. Make sure you sign up to receive email updates.

Do I have to be a programmer or entrepreneur to enter?

Absolutely not! Visit our Student Information page to see how to get an app up and running in no time!

What are the submission requirements?

For more information on submission requirements, please visit the Rules page.

What kind of ideas should I be looking for?

  • Informational: Provides specific information in an intuitive and easy-to-use interface to teach or inform the user

  • Utility: Provides a service to the user based on a real-world need or scope of needs

  • Game: Entertains the user while providing some sort of competition

Who is sponsoring this? Is this a new thing?

Tyler Technologies, a local technology company, brings the latest tech to the public sector, including school districts in Maine. In cooperation with University of Maine, Tyler’s Maine App Challenge provides the opportunity for Maine students to explore the world of software design and development. The challenge has been held annually since 2015.

Can I or my team get assistance from an adult?

Students and student teams must fulfill the challenge requirements on their own. Adults, teachers, and mentors may only serve in an advisory capacity, and need to be identified in the Participation, Consent and Release form and on the app's About page.

Can the app be submitted by a team?

The challenge is open to high school students who are over the age of 13 years in the state of Maine. Teams can be comprised of one, two, or three students. Each team member is also required to complete and submit (or have a parent or legal guardian complete and submit) a participant consent form.

How will the submissions be judged and winners selected?

Submissions will be judged on the criteria described in the rubric. A panel of judges will determine the winner.

What if I’m not 13-years-old but will be soon? Can I still participate?

As long as you turn 13-years-old by the last day of submissions (March 31, 2023) you may participate. However, you may not make a submission, or send Tyler any of your personal information, until you have turned 13 years old. As an example, if you will be turning 13 on April 30, you must wait until that day to submit your app. You can enter your submission any time between November 2, 2022 and March 31, 2023. If you are part of a team, you and your team will still need to wait to until you turn 13 to submit an entry.

What details should I know about the grand prize?

Tyler’s goal is to provide Maine high schools students with the experience of designing, developing, and demonstrating a mobile app for a chance to win a scholarship and other valuable rewards. Scholarships in the amount of $6,000, $3,000, and $1,000 will be awarded to first, second, and third place, respectively. Each prize will be divided equally among team members if a winning apps is submitted by a team.

Can I submit more than one entry? Can I be on more than one team?

No. Each participant may only submit one entry; participants cannot submit as an individual and as part of a team. Participant may only be part of one team. Each team may only submit one entry.

Who owns what in the process?

All submissions will remain the property of the challenge participants. Tyler Technologies hopes that by participating in the Maine App Challenge participants will be encouraged to further develop their skills and their submissions, and eventually bring those apps to market on their own, where feasible. The Maine App Challenge strives to further develop the skills of young people interested in the software development field.

Have More Questions? Let Us Know!

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