Complete Rules

Contest Description

The Maine App Challenge is a vehicle to turn a student's curiosity into a college major, internship, and eventual career in Maine’s computer science and technology industry. Hosted by Tyler Technologies, the Maine App Challenge is an opportunity for high school students to explore, use, and improve their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) knowledge and creativity. Tyler’s goal is to provide an empowering, hands-on learning experience requiring students to (i) identify a purpose and a target audience, (ii) design and develop an Android or iOS mobile application that accomplishes the purpose, and (iii) present the application for review. Submissions consist of two parts: the Application (“App”) and a Video Presentation. The Participation, Consent, and Release form ("Consent") must be submitted by the submission deadline or the submission will not be considered for the Challenge.

Calendar of Events

You may register for the Maine App Challenge email list at any time. The submission deadline for the Maine App Challenge is April 3, 2026, at 11:59:59 p.m. (entries must be submitted prior to April 4, 2025 12:00 a.m. EST) ('Entry Deadline').

Eligibility

  1. You are a student enrolled in at least middle school level classes, including a home school program, in Maine during the 2025-2026 school year.
  2. You (or your parent or legal guardian, if you are under 18 years of age) are a Maine resident as defined by Maine laws and regulations.
  3. You are at least 13 years old by 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2026.
  4. You are not a child, stepchild, or household member of any person employed by Tyler Technologies, or household member of a Maine App Challenge judge.
  5. You have submitted a signed Consent by the Entry Deadline.
  6. You are on only one Maine App Challenge team. Teams may consist of one, two, or three students and each Team member must meet all the individual eligibility requirements listed in 1-5 above. Each Team member must submit a signed Consent for a Team’s submission to be considered for the Challenge.

Submission Entry Content and Technical Requirements

To be eligible, a Submission must meet the following requirements:

  1. App Requirements: App submissions must run on iOS or Android devices and be submitted in any of the following formats:
    • Web-based development platform project. Web submissions must include a link to the app, be fully functional in a browser, optimized for mobile devices, and include access to app source code. Common free web-based platforms include Code.org App Lab, CodeHS Online IDE, and Static.app.
    • Android app. Must be submitted as an Android Package Kit (apk) and capable of running on a native Android tablet.
    • iOS apps. Must be submitted as an Xcode project or Swift package and capable of running with the latest version of Xcode iPad simulator.
    Apps must also meet the following requirements:
    • Includes an in-app About page with the name and description of the app, relevant instructions, and a link to the video presentation.
    • If a login is required to use the app, it must be included in the submission details.
    • Android and iOS apps must be capable of running on the latest supported version of those operating systems available at the time of submission.
    An About page is also required on your app and is meant to give any relevant instructions, introduce your app, lists references, or link out to your video presentation.
  2. Video Presentation Requirements:
    As part of the challenge, you are required to design and produce a video that lets your target audience know what your app can do for them.
    • The video duration should not exceed 5 minutes.
    • Each member of your team must participate in some capacity, whether it be writing, filming, editing, or appearing onscreen. Remember to acknowledge any non-team members who helped you.
    • The video must be uploaded to YouTube in accordance with the submission guidelines. The YouTube video should be set to Unlisted. This will allow judges to easily view videos while maintaining your privacy. Details on how to set YouTube videos to Unlisted may be found on YouTube’s help page: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/157177?hl=en
    • Be creative! We leave the design and approach completely up to you.
  3. Submission Requirements: Submissions must include:
    1. A link to the web-based app or iOS or Android app package meeting App Requirements detailed above.
    2. A link to the YouTube video presentation meeting the Video Presentation Requirements detailed above.
    3. A single .ZIP file of all submission files including:
      1. App project if not a web-based submission.
      2. Two screenshots of the app.
      3. A signed Consent for each team member.
      4. System Card if AI is incorporated into the App.
    The ZIP filename should include:
    • App name (abbreviate the full name if long)
    • Team or individual name
    • App type (web, iOS, or Android)
    • Submission date in yyyy.mm.dd format.
    • Example: WeatherApp_JaneDoe_iOS_20240501.zip

Submission Rights and Requirements:

By entering a Submission, your Team is representing that all Team members have read and agree with the Rules.

  1. Each Team may only enter one (1) Submission.
  2. In the event of a dispute as to the composition of any Team, or ownership of any Team Submission, Tyler’s records as of the App Submission date will control.
  3. The Submission (a) must be your Team’s original work, (b) solely owned by your Team, and (c) not violate of any intellectual property rights or privacy rights of any third party. AI may be used.
  4. The Submission must not contain (as determined by Tyler in its sole discretion) any content that is inappropriate (examples are content that is sexually explicit, violent, promotes bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual, promotes discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation or age, promotes the use of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, firearms/weapons or a political agenda, is obscene or offensive, or contains disparaging or untrue statements about other people or companies), or violates any laws.
  5. Submissions must be free of malware or other security threats. Your Team agrees that Tyler may conduct testing on your App to determine whether malware or other security threats exist.
  6. Submissions will not be returned.
  7. Any false information provided by your Team may result in your Team’s immediate elimination from the Maine App Challenge.
  8. Tyler reserves the right to request a copy of the source code for your Team’s App.
  9. Tyler reserves the right, in Tyler’s sole discretion, to reject or disqualify any Submission that does not meet the Maine App Challenge criteria, the specific Submission requirements, or any of the Rules, or if any person on the team submitting the Submission does not comply with the Rules.
  10. Late Submissions will not be accepted. Tyler’s computer is the official timekeeper for the Maine App Challenge.
  11. After the Submission period has ended, the Submission cannot be modified in any way until the judging has ended.

AI Use

  1. AI may be used to develop the App and may be incorporated into the App.
  2. AI may be used to produce the video component of the Submission.
  3. Teams must disclose their use of AI for any portion of the Submission where AI was used.
  4. If an App utilizes AI, the Team must submit a system card explaining how their App incorporates AI.
    1. System card should describe, in no more than five pages, the following:
      1. What AI models have been incorporated into the App;
      2. How the App uses the AI to function;
      3. How the AI works with other technologies used in the App;
      4. Efforts made by the team to mitigate bias in the App;
      5. Any measures the Team took to address reliability.
    2. While not required, Teams may record and submit a history of the prompts they used with the AI.
    3. If an App utilizes AI, and the Team fails to provide a system card, the Team will be disqualified.
  5. If a Team uses AI, they may not violate the terms and conditions of its use.

Maine App Challenge Winners

  1. The first place Submission will receive $6,000, the second place Submission will receive $3,000 and the third place Submission will receive $1,000.
  2. If there are multiple students on a winning team, the scholarship will be divided and disbursed equally among the team members.
  3. Any Maine App Challenge participant receiving a scholarship must be designated as a beneficiary under a 529 Plan no later than July 31, 2026. A winning participant may forfeit his or her winnings if the participant does not have a 529 Plan established for his or her benefit by July 31, 2026.
  4. Any taxes imposed on scholarships are the sole responsibility of the winners. The Maine App Challenge winners (or if a winner is a minor, the winner’s parents or legal guardians), are responsible for ensuring that the winner complies with all the applicable tax laws and filing requirements.
  5. For more information on Maine’s Section 529 Plan, please visit www.nextgenplan.com. Tyler makes no representation or warranty with respect to any 529 Plan. It is each winner’s responsibility (with his or her parent or legal guardian if a winner is under the age of 18) to determine which 529 Plan is best for him or her and to establish such 529 Plan if the winner is not already a beneficiary of an existing 529 Plan.
  6. Potential Maine App Challenge winners may be subject to further verification of Maine App Challenge eligibility and participation requirements in Tyler’s sole discretion.

Maine App Challenge – Internship Interview Opportunity

Tyler is offering all participants who are part of a Team that submits a top ten Maine App Challenge Submission a guaranteed interview for any internship opportunity made available by Tyler from time to time after the completion of their freshman year of college, and for which the participant applies.

Participants wishing to take advantage of this interview opportunity may do so after the completion of their freshman year of college. It is an eligible participant’s responsibility to apply for available internship postings by Tyler and to note on the participant’s application that the participant was a Maine App Challenge top ten finalist. Tyler will maintain a list of top ten Submission finalists to verify the students who qualify to interview for an open internship position. Participation in an interview does not guarantee an internship offer.

Submissions are ranked by the Maine App Challenge team in its reasonable discretion using the evaluation rubric available on the Maine App Challenge website.

Maine App Challenge School Award Winner

Tyler recognizes the immeasurable contributions Maine educators and school systems make in promoting STEM curriculum. In recognition of the vital role Maine schools play in providing students with opportunities to learn and improve computer science and technology skills, we are offering a $500 award to the Maine high school with the most Teams submitting an eligible entry to the 2025-2026 Maine App Challenge.

Rules, Rules, and More Rules:

  1. Participation is free. There is no purchase or entry fee.
  2. Your Team acknowledges that after the Maine App Challenge winners are announced, any part of your Submission may be posted on Tyler’s Maine App Challenge website, and/or a Tyler Maine App Challenge affiliate’s website (even if your Team is not one of the winners) for viewing by visitors to that website. Tyler and its Maine App Challenge affiliates are not responsible for any unauthorized use of your Submission by visitors to any website.
  3. A team mentor/advisor is allowed, but not required. If your Team has a mentor/advisor, please disclose the identity of the mentor/advisor on the applicable line of your Consent. A team mentor/advisor may not contribute to the technical and/or substantive work in the Submission.
  4. Tyler reserves the right to cancel, suspend, and/or modify the Maine App Challenge, or any part of the Maine App Challenge, if any fraud, technical failure, or other factor beyond Tyler’s control impairs the integrity or proper administration of the Maine App Challenge, as determined by Tyler in its sole discretion.

Evaluation

  1. The evaluation rubric is available on the Maine App Challenge website.
  2. Eligible Submissions may be screened initially by a panel of qualified individuals selected by Tyler in its sole discretion. The screening panel will evaluate the Submissions on the criteria identified in the Rules to select the finalist Submissions.
  3. Finalist Submissions may be evaluated by a panel of finalist Submission judges. Tyler will appoint judges in Tyler’s sole discretion. Tyler reserves the right to substitute the finalist Submission judging panel at any time and for any reason.
  4. Judges will be expected to be fair and impartial. A judge may elect to recuse themselves from judging a Submission if in the judge’s opinion it is not appropriate for them to judge that Submission because of past or current association with a Maine App Challenge participant or prior knowledge of the content of a Submission.
  5. In the event of a tie between the Teams for first, second, or third place, Tyler shall review and re-rank the Apps in its discretion so that there is one winner in each category.
  6. In the event of a tie between two or among multiple schools for the most Teams entered in the Maine App Challenge, all schools involved in the tie will each receive a $500 award.

Limits on Tyler's Liability:

  1. Tyler is not responsible for:
    1. Incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by Maine App Challenge participants, printing errors, or equipment or programming failure associated with or used in the Maine App Challenge;
    2. Unauthorized human intervention in the submission process or technical or human error that may occur in the administration of the Maine App Challenge or processing of Submissions;
    3. Injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by participation in the Maine App Challenge or receipt of any scholarship or award;
    4. Unauthorized use of a Submission by third parties;
    5. Disagreements among Maine App Challenge team members related in any way to the Submission;
    6. Any liability with respect to the investment or use of the winners’ scholarship money after contribution by Tyler to the winners’ 529 Plans;
    7. Submissions which are lost, delayed or corrupted, whatever the cause.
  2. Participants may not dispute Tyler's administration of the Maine App Challenge.

Changed Terms

Tyler reserves the right to change or modify any of the Rules applicable to the Maine App Challenge or to add new Maine App Challenge terms and conditions. The Rules as posted at the time of Submission will control and you are advised to check the Maine App Challenge website regularly for updates to the Rules, and immediately prior to the time you enter your Submission. In the event of any inconsistency between these Rules and other Maine App Challenge materials or advertisements, the terms and conditions of the Consent controls.

The administration of the Maine App Challenge, including but not limited to the determination of whether a Submission meets the entry criteria, and the evaluation and determination of the Maine App Challenge winners, are in Tyler’s sole and absolute discretion and are final and binding on all Maine App Challenge participants.

Questions?