The Mineola Union Free School District has launched a new app that was recently named a 2020 winner in the Congressional App Challenge. The app, Mineola Menu, was designed and developed by James Nagler, the son of Superintendent of Schools Michael P. Nagler, Ed.D. It is currently being used at Jackson Avenue School.
Mineola Menu allows students to input their lunch choice every day, eliminating paper tallies. It has streamlined the process of ordering lunches, making it easier for students and more efficient for teachers. Students simply open the app and choose the items they would like for lunch. Administrators are then provided with the orders for each student, sorted by homeroom. Not only does the app cut back on using paper for orders, teachers no longer need to spend classroom time asking students to participate in lunch counts.
“Digitizing the lunch menu and student selections each day was a must for a district like Mineola, where we embrace innovation, efficiency and contributing positively to society by reducing paper waste. As both the parent of the app’s designer and the superintendent of the district benefiting from this app, I could not be prouder,” Dr. Nagler said.
The Congressional App Challenge is touted as the most prestigious prize in student computer science. Its goal is to inspire students from every corner of the country to explore STEM, coding and computer science through hands-on practice. This year, more than 6,000 students registered for the challenge. United States Representatives publicly recognize middle and high school students whose innovative applications are announced as winners. The 2020 winners received AWS Web Credits, a gift card from Southwest Airlines and will have their app displayed at the U.S. Capitol for one year.
—Submitted by Mineola Union Free School District
