Mobile app created by North Division students is one of six national winners

MILWAUKEE -- Two Milwaukee Public Schools students have created an app they hope will change lives for the better. They're being recognized as winners of a national app competition -- and need your help to win the final award!

Tatiana Loyd

Tatiana Loyd and Qiaira Mathews designed the emojis and came up with the messages.

The "Emoji Encouragement" app is designed to support people battling cancer, sickle cell anemia and other diseases with words of encouragement.

"I wanted to do something for our community and show kids that there are actually people out there that care about them," said Qiaira Mathews, 11th grade student at North Division H.S.

Qiaira Mathews

Beating out hundreds of apps --  the ""Emoji Encouragement" app is one of just six national winners in the Lenovo Scholars Network competition. They built it in mobile app development class.

"Notice our app isn't the slickest but it came from the heart and is completely original," said Melissa Menge, Computer Science Instructor.

It's personal for Loyd.

"My grandma, she passed away from heart failure, my great-grandma, cancer -- and my great-great grandma, cancer," said Tatiana Loyd, 12th grade student at North Division H.S.

Both students put in countless hours outside school.

"One time, everything deleted, and so we had to rebuild it," said Mathews.

They say it's worth it, if it means turning someone's frown upside down.

"You get to hear something good about yourself," said Loyd.

The national win means "Emoji Encouragement" is now eligible for a national fan favorite award.  Voting is open through July 19th.

This is the second time that an MPS school has been a national winner in this competition. Last year, Washington High School took the fan favorite.