CommuniTeens wins Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s 2023 Congressional App Challenge in New Jersey’s Fifth District

When asked what inspired the creation of CommuniTeens, the students said, “We were inspired to build CommuniTeens after recognizing a critical need in our community: making it easier for high school students to fulfill their volunteer hour graduation requirements while simultaneously opening the door for them to give back to their communities in ways that interest them the most. Having spent countless hours volunteering in areas we are passionate about – such as tutoring math, building websites for nonprofit organizations, and counseling for summer camps – we understand the difficulties students face when seeking out worthwhile opportunities and attaining their requirements. Our motivation is deeply rooted in the belief that community service is a vital component of a well-rounded education, fostering empathy, responsibility, and a sense of civic duty, and we created CommuniTeens to streamline that process for teenagers and the organizations that benefit from their service. 

Significant challenges that high school students often face when searching for suitable volunteer opportunities include finding opportunities that match their interests, schedules, and locations. CommuniTeens was built with this in mind, providing a user-friendly, AI-personalized platform that empowers students to identify and engage in volunteer work with a few clicks.

We also recognized the difficulties students face when attempting to catalog the volunteer hours they’ve served with their schools, which can often be an arduous process. To combat this, we implemented features allowing volunteers to connect with their schools and automatically log and approve these hours with the school, serving as an efficient middleman to simplify the system for both sides. 

At the same time, we aimed to address a concern local nonprofit organizations face: the ongoing need for volunteers. Nonprofits play a crucial role in our community’s well-being, but they often struggle to find dedicated individuals willing to contribute their time and skills. By creating this site, we sought to bridge the gap between motivated students and nonprofits, making it easier for both to connect and collaborate effectively. 

Our vision for this app is to serve as a catalyst for social change, nurturing a culture of volunteerism and a stronger sense of community engagement among high schoolers. By providing an accessible and intuitive platform, we aim to not only help students meet their graduation requirements but also instill in them a lifelong passion for community service. We are driven by the hope that, with the right tools and resources, we can empower today’s youth to become the compassionate and proactive leaders of tomorrow.”