Baltimore Students Develop App That Turns Ashburton Neighborhood Into Classroom
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A few local students have designed an app that turns the Ashburton neighborhood into a classroom.
It's a history lesson and a chance to get outside, and all you need is your smartphone and your walking shoes.
"We need to have a safe, sacred space where we can learn history lessons, math, science, outdoors, where it's safe during this pandemic," Pastor Terris King of Liberty Grace Church of God said.
Using real landmarks mixed with history and a fictional story, this 30 min walking tour teaches kids about the integrated Forest Park and Ashburton neighborhoods.
Stacie Waters and Chloe Ammann not only helped design the app with their classmates at Beth Tfiloh and Liberty Grace Church, but they also voiced the two main characters.
"I liked it because now I know what all the stuff here used to be and how different it looks... and that's pretty cool," Waters said.
"I thought it was cool to learn about the African community, and it was cool in a way because part of my family used to live in the community," Ammann added.
It's providing a glance back at history, a peek at a promising future.
"It's first starting at knowing ourselves and understanding the commonality that we have with one another, that's critically important for us to grow together," King said.
There's also a safety aspect to the app where they teach kids about situational awareness. They hope to expand the app to include other neighborhoods in Baltimore.
To download the app, click here for Android and click here for iOS.
