60 high school students build apps at Samsung Mobile App Academy at University of Miami

Instructor Daniel Taveras, 27, helps Kevin Fitzpatrick, 17, of Archbishop McCarthy High School, create an app at the Samsung Mobile App Academy at the University of Miami on Thursday. Fitzpatrick is one of 60 South Florida high school students selected to attend the weeklong academy. He is building a CPR assistant app that will help regular citizens decide the best steps in an emergency situation. Fitzpatrick thought of the idea after recently becoming CPR certified. JESSICA BAL MIAMI HERALD STAFF

Sixty South Florida high school students were selected from more than 1,100 national submissions to attend the Samsung Mobile App Academy at the University of Miami this week to learn the skills to prepare for technology careers.

Local 11th and 12th grade students took their future in their own hands, and during the weeklong program that ends Friday they learned how to develop mobile applications that will help solve critical issues relevant to their communities. They received hands-on experience with industry experts, Samsung engineers, University of Miami representatives and leading technology professionals from the Miami area.

Samsung’s Academies are being held at engineering universities in Miami, Houston, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, D.C./Baltimore and New Brunswick. Participating students will have a chance to submit their apps for the chance to win more than $35,000 in college scholarships.

Click through the accompanying photos to learn more about the participants in the Samsung Mobile App Academy at the University of Miami and what they are building this week.

This story was originally published July 9, 2015 at 10:52 PM with the headline "60 high school students build apps at Samsung Mobile App Academy at University of Miami."

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