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High School Student Bella Palumbi Nominated for Baltimore’s Technologist of the Year

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High School Student Bella Palumbi Nominated for Baltimore’s Technologist of the Year

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At age 11, Bella Palumbi had already created a mobile app called Monkey Mayhem. Now as a sophomore at Baltimore's Park School, Bella has been nominated for Technologist of the Year by Technical.ly Baltimore for her work as a mobile app developer and her success participating at local hackathons.

Technical.ly's annual Baltimore Innovation Awards, including Technologist of the Year, recognize outstanding work in Baltimore's growing technology sector. In addition to Palumbi's mobile app, she also founded the Harbor Hacks youth hackathon at the Digital Harbor Foundation's tech center in Baltimore, another contributing factor to her nomination. Harbor Hacks, held earlier this summer, was an event designed to simulate a hackathon in a space where young hackers (ages 12-18) developed mobile and computer programs with support from adult mentors as well as robots and digital fabrication projects. The inspiration for this came to Palumbi after she attended (and won prizes) at two other hackathons where she noticed the majority of attendees were significantly older than her.

Bella got her start the summer before fifth grade working on programs about circuits and one program about mobile game development. These were high school level programs and Bella was pretty far below the age range, although that didn't stop her from plunging right in and learning how to make mobile games.

Being nominated for the Technologist of the Year award has Bella feeling grateful and honored.

"I'm the only female on the list. Also the only person who is not an adult."

She hopes that her nomination shows other young women that they can achieve a lot and it's OK at any age to have the confidence to go after their goals. And while she definitely has faced challenges organizing a youth hackathon versus an adult hackathon, (for an adult hackathon most participants tend to sign up on their own) Bella did not let that stop her. She spent a week making around 300-350 phone calls to coordinate a strong turnout of kids signing up.

Some advice she has to offer is to not feel discouraged by the process of working your way up or not succeeding in your first attempts at chasing your passion. She believes that getting to that sense of discovery when something works makes it worth it and you can't be afraid to try.

"Try new things, find a way to learn them, don't give up and put yourself out there. Go to events. You have a place there as long as you want to be there."

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High School Student Bella Palumbi Nominated for Baltimore's Technologist of the Year

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At age 11, Bella Palumbi had already created a mobile app called Monkey Mayhem. Now as a sophomore at Baltimore's Park School, Bella has been nominated for Technologist of the Year by Technical.ly Baltimore for her work as a mobile app developer and her success participating at local hackathons.

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And here are DJ Switch's 5 tips to become a great DJ. She's definitely got bags of #5!

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And here are DJ Switch's 5 tips to become a great DJ. She's definitely got bags of #5! https://t.co/hoh1vrCcA0

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Can you believe DJ Switch only started DJ-ing about a year ago? Check out this Ghanaian superstar in action. https://t.co/hSAk0xA6EX

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And here are DJ Switch's 5 tips to become a great DJ. She's definitely got bags of #5! pic.twitter.com/hoh1vrCcA0
— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) June 22, 2018

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And here are DJ Switch's 5 tips to become a great DJ. She's definitely got bags of #5! https://t.co/hoh1vrCcA0

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Can you believe DJ Switch only started DJ-ing about a year ago? Check out this Ghanaian superstar in action. https://t.co/hSAk0xA6EX

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And here are DJ Switch's 5 tips to become a great DJ. She's definitely got bags of #5! https://t.co/hoh1vrCcA0

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And here are DJ Switch's 5 tips to become a great DJ. She's definitely got bags of #5!

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Can you believe DJ Switch only started DJ-ing about a year ago? Check out this Ghanaian superstar in action. https://t.co/hSAk0xA6EX

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Where’s The Color In Kids’ Lit? Ask The Girl With 1,000 Books (And Counting)

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Eleven-year-old Marley Dias went on a quest to collect and donate 1,000 books with a black girl as the main character. Spoiler alert: She did really well.

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Smart Girls was lucky enough to chat with Mari over e-mail about her recent backpack project, how we can help Flint, and who she looks up to!

Smart Girls: How did you come up with the idea to raise money for backpacks for kids and why did you want to do it?

Mari: Last summer a student from CMU contacted my mom about a group they were starting, we did a youtube chat with them and I got the idea to help them help Flint kids by starting the Pack Your Back Challenge. They were young people wanting to help Flint kids and I always want to help Flint kids so it just made sense.

I love helping kids, especially Flint kids because a lot of them look up to me.

Why do you think education is important and what's your favorite thing about school?

Education is everything, especially when dealing with kids who have had to live with the water crisis in Flint. A good education can help Flint kids to change the world. My favorite subject in school is science, I love to do science experiments. Second is reading, I love to read.

You've helped so many people and have become a role model for so many. What do you like about helping people and why do you think it's important to help others?

I love helping people, especially kids. I grew up around giving back to others, it's always been a part of my life. If I don't help others someone else may not think that they need to help others. When people see me, a ten-year-old helping others, they sometimes want to be able to help others too.

What advice do you have for other kids who want to help people in their communities?

Do everything you can to help others, you don't have to run big fundraisers, you can help a neighbor carry in groceries, pick up trash in your neighborhood, read books to little kids, and other easy things like that.

There is so much you can do as a kid to really help change your community and the world. Never let anyone tell you that you can't change the world because you can.

What can people who don't live in Flint do to help those who live in Flint?

Don't let Flint be forgotten, the news will come and go but the crisis is not over. You can always donate water if you want to but I really want people to make sure that everyone knows about Flint and knows that it can happen anywhere.

Who do you look up to as a role model and why?

I have a few role models. MLK is one, he proved that one person can change the world. President Obama is another, he shows me what a real leader is like. My big sister Blair is another, she shows me how to deal with some of the negative people plus she's one of my biggest cheerleaders. And then all the organizers of the Women's March on Washington, they have all become like my big sisters and I love them.
Make sure to follow Mari on Twitter to see what she's up to and get updates about the Flint water crisis. Mari, you're an inspiration to all of us. Keep changing the world by being yourself!

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Meet Smart Girl Mari Copeny aka 'Little Miss Flint'

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Smart Girls was lucky enough to chat with Mari over e-mail about her recent backpack project, how we can help Flint, and who she looks up to! Mari: Last summer a student from CMU contacted my mom about a group they were starting, we did a youtube chat with them and I got the idea to help them help Flint kids by starting the Pack Your Back Challenge.

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GIANT Lightning McQueen Egg Surprise with 100+ Disney Cars Toys

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Third Graders Lemonade Stand Raises $5K For Cancer Research 

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Third Graders Lemonade Stand Raises $5K For Cancer Research 

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They say when life hands you lemons you should make lemonade - and that's exactly what Santino Carnevale, age 9 of West Jefferson, Ohio, did with the goal of supporting cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC - James).

The young man is no stranger to the word "cancer" - he has watched numerous family members battle the disease, including his late grandfather, Franklin County Sheriff Jim Karnes, who lost a battle with pancreatic cancer in 2011, and his dad, Michael Carnevale, who is currently living with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare form of head and neck cancer that occurs in just 1,200 people each year.

"For kids not used to cancer, it's frightening. I have had too many family members who have fought cancer. Some have lost their fight, but that doesn't stop me. I want to help find a cure so one day the world will be cancer-free," Santino said.

And so the young man decided to take action. Every year, the community of West Jefferson holds an Ox Roast - a celebration of fellowship and fun that nearly everyone in the close-knit community attends. Santino had the idea to host a lemonade stand during the Ox Roast parade to raise money for cancer research. People heard about his goal of raising money and supported him by donating water and baked goods.

During his fundraising campaign, he raised $5,000 for head and neck cancer research at the OSUCCC - James. Ted Teknos, MD, chair of the department of otolaryngology, plans to put the money to good use to study the biology of adenoid cystic carcinoma so scientists can develop new treatment regimens for the disease.

Santino is planning to hit the parade route again this year to raise more funds for cancer research. He will once again be serving up lemonade and other donated items at the West Jefferson Ox Roast Parade (in front of the Huntington Bank, corner of Main and Center Street) on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, beginning at 11 a.m. (The parade starts at noon). Following the parade, he will continue serving lemonade in front of 92 S. Center Street until 4 p.m.

"My husband learned he had this awful disease 10 days after learning he would soon be a father. From that day forward, every day of his cancer journey has been a battle to be sure Santino would know his dad," says Brooke Carnevale, Santino's mother, Michael's wife and daughter of the late Sheriff Karnes. "One of the reasons this disease is so deadly is that there is so little research being done. To say we are proud of Santino for having emotional maturity to channel this experience into doing something good for others in an understatement, and we are so thankful for the community support in finding a cure."

To make a gift in support of Santino and his family, visit go.osu.edu/Santino. Donations can also be made to the Sheriff Jim Karnes Cancer Fund at any Huntington Bank.

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3rd-Grader's Lemonade Stand Raises $5K for Cancer Research

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They say when life hands you lemons you should make lemonade - and that's exactly what Santino Carnevale, age 9 of West Jefferson, Ohio, did with the goal of supporting cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC - James).

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What This Third Grader Has Accomplished Will Blow Your Mind

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What This Third Grader Has Accomplished Will Blow Your Mind

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AUSTIN, Tex. -- A Texas third-grader is at the top of his game in cyber-security at just eight years old.

In fact, Reuben Paul has his own company, Austin-based Prudent Games Inc., and is a noted speaker at nationwide conferences.

"I don't want to be bragging," the computer whiz kid and young entrepreneur told KEYE, but he specializes in writing thousands of lines of code as well as designing and developing apps.

His father is his business partner and employee.

"I don't mind if my dad's my managing partner I feel happy that he's working with me," Reuben laughed. "I don't technically think that I'm totally his boss -- and everything."

In a digital world that can be overwhelming for adults, and with a slew of stores with data breaches dominating headlines, the third-grader wants to focus on your privacy.

His company produces educational and entertaining games on cyber security for kids and adults.

"Our motto is learn while you play, so we make entertaining apps so our customers learn while they play," Reuben said.

Rueben's latest creation is an app called "Cracker Proof," which he describes as a fun tool to learn about building strong passwords.

"It should be strong enough that other people can't break it and easier enough for you to remember it," Reuben said.

Rueben's not just making waves around his elementary school.

"I once asked my mom what's the difference between a good hacker and a bad hacker. She said, 'A good hacker always listens to his momma and a bad hacker doesn't,'' Reuben told the crowd.

In September, he spoke to hundreds of professionals at the information security conference Derbycon 4.0 in Kentucky.

Earlier this month Reuben was the keynote speaker at the 2014 Houston Security Conference.

"I first felt nervous but then I got the energy to do it and I had a really fun time," Reuben said.

While Rueben does consider himself a hacker, he goes by this motto: With great hacking comes great responsibility.

And with many more apps in his future, he has an important message for his classmates.

"I want other kids to be safe in the cyber world because our world now is being coming cyber," Reuben said.

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What this third-grader has accomplished will blow your mind

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This kid is a lot smarter than your kid What this Tex. third-grader has accomplished will blow your mind What this third-grader has accomplished will blow your mind This 8-year-old hacker whiz kid owns his own company Whiz kid's 'Cracker Proof' app will make you think this

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Esther Appelstein | Kid Reporters' Notebook | Scholastic Inc.

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Esther Appelstein lives in Missouri and was born in 2004.

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More From There Must Be A Pony In Here Somewhere

Inventions by Kids

Did you know that the popsicle, ear muffs AND the trampoline were invented by kids? And, more than a few kids have become rich off of their inventions before they even graduated high school.

"Kids are natural innovators," said Jon Dudas, who used to work for the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office but is now the president of FIRST, an organization designed to help foster innovations by kids in science and technology.

One of the youngest inventors, Dudas recalls, was just two. "Her parents had sort of sectioned off a place where she couldn't open the cabinet doors. She used suction cups and an extension," Dudas explained. "Her parents thought it was a neat idea-to use for people in wheelchairs with limited movement," he said. The child had a patent by age four!

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Kids have been inventing things for hundreds of years and now, thanks to organizations such as FIRST and "By Kids, for Kids," a group that connects kids with contests for young inventors, they're feeling more inspired and more confident to invent. Turning their products into sales is also becoming more of a reality.

Click here for more than a dozen innovative and inspiring inventions by kids.

Watch Cindy on the Today Show

Tips for How Your Kids Can Be Entrepreneurs, Too

By Cindy Perman
30 September 2011

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Did you know that the popsicle, ear muffs AND the trampoline were invented by kids? And, more than a few kids have become rich off of their inventions before they even graduated high school.Here are 10 cool and inspiring inventions by kids - and how they did it.

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How To Make An App -14 yr Old Boy Makes An App - Downloaded 3 Million Times!!

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Natalie Hampton doesn't just have memories of being bullied in middle school; she has actual scars. "I had bruises on my body from being punched with fists or shoved into lockers, I was slapped and had my hair tied in knots, and I still have a scar on my left hand from when a girl clawed me with nails and drew blood," Natalie told TODAY Parents. "I was told by my classmates that I'm 'so ugly it's scary' and 'Everyone hates you.'"

Now 16 and a high-school junior in Sherman Oaks, California, Natalie said, "Apart from the horrific attacks, the worst thing was being treated as an outcast and having to eat lunch alone every day. I believe that being isolated branded me as a target. All I wanted was to have just one person who had my back."
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After switching schools in ninth grade, Natalie found a supportive new friend group, but she never forgot how it felt to be the outcast. "Whenever I saw someone eating alone, I would ask that person to join our table, because I knew exactly how they felt. I saw the look of relief wash over their faces," she said. Her experiences inspired Natalie to create a new app called Sit With Us.

The concept is simple: the app allows students to reach out to others and let them know they are welcome to join them at their tables in the school cafeteria. Kids can look at the list of "open lunches" in the app and know that they have an open invitation to join with no chance of rejection. "Sit With Us ambassadors take a pledge that they will welcome anyone who joins and include them in the conversation. To me, that is far better than sitting alone," said Natalie.

"Even though just about every school has bullies, I believe each school has a larger number of upstanders who want to make their schools more inclusive and kind," she said. "Sit With Us calls upon those people to reach out to students who may feel isolated. Lunch may seem like a small thing, but over time, I think this kind of program can shift the dynamic, so that kids are nicer to other kids in the classroom, or outside of the classroom, and not just at the lunch table. It brings people together with the possibility that they will make new friends."

Natalie said that teachers and parents can be a part of the solution by helping to coordinate Sit With Us programs, facilitate topic discussions during lunch to bring people together, or organize gatherings that can help build friendships between students, but she believes that students are the most important participants. "My high school places a great deal of emphasis on community service and what it means to be a global citizen, and I think that is why it is generally a kind and welcoming place," she said. "However, in terms of fighting against bullying, I believe that student-led initiatives are much more effective than say, an assembly where an adult lectures kids to not bully."

Natalie is working on an Android version of the app, but for those who don't have access to an iOS device or a smartphone at school, she recommends a "low tech" version of Sit With Us: schools can dedicate a prominent bulletin board where ambassadors can post notices of open lunches, and kids can check the board, find an open table, and join.

"I hope that the message of Sit With Us spreads, so that, at a minimum, kids remember to reach out to other kids with kindness and acceptance," Natalie said. "You never know - that person sitting alone at the next table could become your best friend."

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Teen invents 'Sit With Us' app so no high schooler has to eat alone

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Natalie Hampton doesn't just have memories of being bullied in middle school; she has actual scars. "I had bruises on my body from being punched with fists or shoved into lockers, I was slapped and had my hair tied in knots, and I still have a scar on my left hand from when a girl clawed me with nails and drew blood," Natalie told TODAY Parents.

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Young coder sparks "Timeless" memories for people with Alzheimer's

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Young coder sparks "Timeless" memories for people with Alzheimer's

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NEW YORK -- Listen to Emma Yang play the piano, and it's no surprise she played Carnegie Hall before she was in high school. But her piano skills may take a back seat to her computer skills.

"I started coding when I was around 6 years old," Yang said.

Four years later, her beloved grandmother, who lived in Hong Kong, started developing Alzheimer's disease.

"So when I'm on the phone with her, she's going to ask me the same question over and over again," she explained. "'Have you eaten?' 'How are you?' And then 'how are you' again."

But with her coding, Yang had the skill set to help.

"One of the big things that I really love about app developing and coding is that, you know, it's really empowered me to do something to help her," she said. "Even if she is still declining, she can actually still stay connected with me."

Emma developed "Timeless" - an app using facial recognition technology to remind people with Alzheimer's who they are looking at when sent a picture. It also shows whether they just called someone they are about to redial.

Cole Calistra found out first hand about Yang's determination. He's chief technology officer at Kairos, which provides the facial recognition software that powers the app.

"For somebody to have that type of drive at that age is just remarkable," he said.

"You know it's easy, it's accessible, and it's really convenient," said Yang. "So I think that this can have the opportunity to help every single person with Alzheimer's."

If you're not impressed, Bill Gates certainly is. He tweeted out his support for Yang and her project.

I love stories like this... 14-year-old Emma Yang is developing an app to help bridge the gap between Alzheimer's patients and their loved ones. https://t.co/g0MpnI74Ad
- Bill Gates (@BillGates) February 2, 2018

Emma hopes to launch "Timeless" this summer. After that? Tenth grade should be a breeze.
For more information about Timeless, and the crowdfunding effort behind it, head to the app's website.

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Young coder sparks "Timeless" memories for people with Alzheimer's

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NEW YORK -- Listen to Emma Yang play the piano, and it's no surprise she played Carnegie Hall before she was in high school. But her piano skills may take a back seat to her computer skills. "I started coding when I was around 6 years old," Yang said.