App designed by 11-year-old wins competition

In addition to being awesome just because an 11-year-old won the AT & T competition ahead of adult geeks and hi-tech companies, the app she designed draws on social network and spheres of influence research (probably intuitively rather than consciously) as the best way to get people to change dangerous texting-while-driving behavior. And the combination of sophisticated technology and creative application is just wonderful. It’s a great example of how kids are leap-frogging over “normal” stages of development to assert leadership in different fields. Very inspiring.

Here’s the most interesting part of the article:

“The playfully designed app enables users to create micro social networks of their “pack” (friends and family) to protect them. A GPS tracks the location of each person in the pack at all times and alerts users whenever someone in the pack is using their phone and driving at the same time. Like a little warning bell, users within the social network can send barking sounds to offending pack members to encourage them to stop using their phone while driving.”

See full text below…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/19/victoria-walker-rode-dog_n_1897464.html

Victoria Walker rocks!  (Maybe she’d come work with us at Rain Barrel…)