Nearly 800 elementary, middle, and high school students gathered at CSUDH on May 28 to present their innovative solutions to community issues at the STEAM MAX Showcase, a competition featuring the students’ app prototypes. The event was a culmination of CSUDH’s STEAM MAX program, run by the Center for Innovation in STEM Education (CISE).
STEAM MAX guides local students in grades 3-12 through the process of identifying a challenge faced by their community, creating an app concept, then building a prototype. Supported by CSUDH CISE and Fab Lab staff and students, participants learn about app development, storytelling, public speaking, and design thinking.
The teams then present their prototypes at the STEAM MAX Showcase, where educators and industry leaders give feedback and select winning projects. Since 2021, the Showcase program has reached 3,670 students and is one of CISE’s primary outreach initiatives helping young learners build technical skills and awareness of STEM pathways.
“First Hello” was among 2026’s winning app ideas, developed by a high school team from Hawthorne Math and Science Academy. “First Hello” aims to help people overcome the awkwardness of starting conversations and forming new relationships by allowing users to anonymously seek support on topics such as school, relationships, and anxiety.
For team members Nicole, Jessica, Brandon, and Miley, the project was their first experience conceptualizing an app. They said the process honed their problem-solving skills and made them consider how technology can meet people’s needs.
“In order to make a good app, you have to make it really personalized and think about who you’re making it for,” Brandon said. “You really want to try to connect with people and tailor it to make a huge impact.”
CISE Program Specialist Albert Fonseca worked closely with the team throughout their project, helping them troubleshoot technical issues, produce their video, and prepare for the competition. Fonseca said it is highly rewarding to see students gain confidence in their work and present it to an audience of educators and industry professionals.
“It brings me joy to see them blossom and present in front of all these special guests,” Fonseca said. “It’s an amazing opportunity I wish I’d had when I was younger.”
Jennifer Batt, a teacher at Hawthorne Math and Science Academy, said that STEAM MAX provided her students with invaluable learning that extended beyond STEM skills.
“Our students are already very STEM-minded, but the collaboration and business side of this project pushed them beyond their comfort zone,” she said. “I like that they have been in a real-world situation, trying to create a product with a set deadline.”
She added that the mentorship provided at CSUDH was equally important, giving the “First Hello” team the chance to interact with and learn from college students.
“The CISE team was amazing, and Albert was fantastic with the kids,” she said. “The CSUDH students were so professional, smart, and kind. That’s very inspirational to our kids, who can see themselves in that role in the future.”
