Free apps created by Cowplain students
Students from Cowplain Community School have been looking at the past and present heritage of the West of Waterlooville major development area, which spreads across the two local authority areas of Winchester and Havant.
Around 30 local young people, aged 11-16, were involved in researching the history of the development area, and using their findings, research and planning, a Design Team of nine pupils from Cowplain Community School has devised three free gaming apps which are now available on Google Play to download on any Android device.
VIRTUALWOW, LIGHTUPWOW and WOWQUIZ are individual games which look at the history of the area before the current housing developments as well as the growth of the developments themselves.
The Placemarker project was managed by the Hampshire Museums and Galleries Trust and largely funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Match-funding was provided by a public art contribution negotiated by the local authorities with the housing developer, Taylor Wimpey.
At a showcase event held in Denmead earlier this month the young people told the audience, made up of Cllr Kirk Phillips (ward councillor for Denmead), and their friends and families, how they went about their research and demonstrated how the new app worked.
Kieran Ralph (Year 9) from Cowplain Community School said:
We started the grand project by searching for geo-cashes and planting some on the Waterlooville development site for others to find. We then researched the history and growth of Waterlooville. Jamie Whitworth a professional game designer also came and told us about game design and career opportunities. We then started the challenge of making our own apps. Finally, in January, we finished our apps and had learnt skills such as communication and coding.
Cllr Kirk Phillips, Chair of the West of Waterlooville Arts Advisory Panel that determines how other developer contributions for public art are spent to benefit the new community, added:
These young people have learnt new skills in designing and producing an app for smart phones as well as learning how to present heritage information in an engaging way. Both Councils are looking forward to involving young people from the area in future community projects.
For further information about community projects in the West of Waterlooville Major Development contact Jaime Bridges, Havant Borough Council’s Community Development Officer, Jaime.Bridges@havant.gov.uk