APP: A collective effort from Poly students and Mary Barnett ensued the successful creation of the new Poly app.
By Kate Santoso, Editor
The technological age of our day instills a spontaneous instinct to find countless ways to incorporate our best friends— our cell phones— in our everyday lives. With the implementation of Google Chromebooks and other devices, Poly has already embraced the educational benefits that technology has to offer. The Poly community decided to add another component to this technology revolution through the creation of the first official Poly High School App.
Poly Principal Dr. Michael J. Roe spoke at a press conference over the summer, where he met Mary Barnett, commonly known as “Mobile Mary.” Based on the previous success of an app for prior high schools he worked for, Roe has always considered the creation of a Poly app a necessity for students, staff and parents. Fortunately, Barnett, a specialist in the latest trends for mobile technology, was more than happy to attend to Poly’s needs.
Barnett established a business named Another Brilliant Idea Incorporation in 1988 as a boutique marketing firm that helped companies with various marketing services. As a small business, the company initially worked with the military, community groups, non-profit organizations and restaurants to help them build a loyal customer base and inspire raving fans. The business began to focus on mobile technology after it emerged as a viable marketing channel. After helping Kawasaki Motor USA reap 93,000 new customers using a gaming text campaign, Barnett believed the future of marketing lay in the very hands of technology. “Mobile is our passion. We have taken our expertise of 28 years of traditional marketing and transplanted it into the digital world,” Barnett said.
Today, the business provides a new avenue of possibilities for ample tech consumers by offering “Brilliant School Apps” designed to make the lives of pressured teenagers and teachers much easier with relevant school information at the palm of their hand. Another Brilliant Idea Inc. currently has apps in ten local high schools. In order for the Poly App to be included in the App Store, Another Brilliant Idea Inc. ensures that the app meets the requirements of both the Apple iTunes Store and the Google Play Store as one of their business services.
Guided by Poly App team leader Michelle Boulos (11), there are three teams at Poly comprised of fourteen members, who are in charge of maintaining the app: the Design/Creative Team manages the app’s outward appearance, the Marketing/Promotions Team creates ways to use and promote the app and the Admin/Operations Team ensures everything is up to date using push notifications. Three weeks ago, the Poly App team attended a “Brilliant App Academy” to learn how to design, manage and promote the app, so they can make it their own. “It’s a true honor to be selected to be a part of a fun, new thing that can get kids involved in our school in a new and improved way,” Justin Bartlebaugh (10), a member of the Marketing/Promotions team, said.
Student involvement is one major convenience the app provides, alerting the Poly community about imminent activities on campus. In a dire emergency, the app has the ability to take precautionary measures by sending instant push notifications, which will send a message to a specific group or the entire student body so long as they have the app downloaded. A Bully Tip form allows students to report a bullying incident. There is also a direct link to the Poly Spotlight newspaper to encourage more readership and student involvement. “The app is a hand-held newspaper based on student voice with a user-friendly database. Not only will it be a great form of communication in the future, but a better means of security for the campus,” Roe said.
The app also engages parents to be more involved in the lives of their teens, as they now have access to the school calendar, the bell schedule, the A-G requirements for four-year universities and scholarship deadlines. For parents, the monotonous 6:45am drive to work may become entertaining with the impending “Principal’s Podcast,” allowing them to hear what is happening at Poly as they drive to work. By keeping the Poly community connected, the app promotes the most important ingredient to Poly pride: school spirit. School selfies at football games and dances can be posted, capturing the highlights and memories of high school all in one place.
“I am hoping they can promote it to the point where every student and parent with a smartphone will download and use it everyday to increase student involvement, parent awareness and school safety,” Barnett said. While the Poly App team continues to refine and add the finishing touches to the Poly App, downloading it now will allow you to be one tap away from future updates of the Bear nation.