Reaching upper atmospheric heights in a worldwide competition, Tompkins High School senior Sahus Gupta and junior May Lynn Espinola earned Honorable Mention at the 2024 NASA International Space Apps Challenge, according to a February 3 press release from Katy ISD. The worldwide competition saw nearly 10,000 entries from 95,000 participants. The team was one of less than 20 entries chosen for honorable mention. Along with 40 teams chosen as finalists, they represented the top 1% of all entries in a competition that included working professionals, college students and high school students.

Created by Gupta and Espinola, their “FarmVis” app was inspired by their collective commitment to sustainability and climate impact. Describing the global challenge they wanted to solve, NASA notes that farmers face water-related challenges due to unpredictable weather, pests and diseases. These hurdles impact crop health, farmers’ profits and food security, and depending upon the geography, farmers can face extreme floods and droughts within the same season. Gupta and Espinola’s app uses openly sourced NASA data to help optimize water usage plans for farmers. Learn more about the app at www.spaceappschallenge.org/nasa-space-apps-2024/find-a-team/farmvis/?tab=details.

“We are so proud of Sahus and May Lynn for this accomplishment, and for being counted among the world’s best in this competition,” said Elisabeth Brodt, principal of Tompkins High School. “It’s gratifying to know that what our students learn in our classrooms can influence what they do in the future and what they’re doing now.” The campus is located at 4400 Falcon Landing in Katy.

The NASA International Space Apps Challenge gives coders, scientists and designers the opportunity to address real-world challenges through access to NASA’s open data. Visit www.spaceappschallenge.org to learn more.