Student Innovators Revolutionize Homelessness Education Through Mobile App “Home Of My Own”
A groundbreaking initiative by three high school students—Viraj Sheel and Arnav Gopinath from Stephen F. Austin High School in Sugar Land, Texas, and Konrad Fisher from Michigan—has introduced a new way to engage people in understanding homelessness. The students have developed “Home Of My Own,” a mobile application that modernizes a board game previously created by the nonprofit Fort Bend Family Promise. Now available on the Apple App Store, this app takes a bold step in bridging the gap between education, empathy, and technology.
The original board game, designed by Fort Bend Family Promise, aimed to educate players about the vulnerabilities leading to homelessness by immersing them in situations such as job loss, medical emergencies, and transportation breakdowns. Through these scenarios, participants were shown how quickly families can experience housing instability and the devastating ripple effects it causes. The board game’s central mission was always to cultivate a deeper understanding of homelessness and to foster empathy through experience.
The student team, realizing the limitations of a physical board game in reaching wider audiences, decided to bring the educational tool into the digital age. With no prior experience in app development, the students collaborated to adapt the game into a mobile format that retained the original gameplay’s essence. Their efforts resulted in a fully interactive mobile experience, designed with scenario-based gameplay that challenges users to make decisions that reflect real-world dilemmas faced by families experiencing homelessness.
In addition to its educational value, the app includes a feature that allows users to directly support Fort Bend Family Promise through built-in donation options, amplifying the app’s social impact and creating a seamless connection between awareness and action.
Throughout the development process, the students received mentorship from Ms. Vera Johnson and her team at Fort Bend Family Promise, whose guidance proved invaluable in navigating the technical challenges of app creation. This collaboration between young innovators and experienced mentors highlights the power of cross-generational teamwork in addressing complex social issues.
The students’ efforts have not gone unnoticed. Sheel, Gopinath, and Fisher were honored at the Fort Bend Family Promise Annual Fundraiser in Fall 2024 and featured in Fort Bend ISD Magazine, a recognition that speaks to the significance of their work. Their project is more than just a mobile app—it’s a testament to the potential for youth-driven social change powered by accessible technology.
The creation of “Home Of My Own” demonstrates the growing trend of young people leveraging their skills to create purpose-driven, socially responsible technologies. In transforming a board game into a mobile application, these students have shown that technology can be used not only to inform but also to empower people to take action on critical social issues. Their initiative exemplifies how young individuals can influence change by merging creativity, education, and social responsibility through technology.
For more on the Home Of My Own project, the game demo is available here. Coverage of the students’ recognition at the Fort Bend Family Promise Annual Fundraiser can be viewed here, and the article from the Fall 2024 FBISD Magazine can be read on page 12.
