“I grew up in LA, I have always been aware of the risk of fire that comes with life in South California,” says Marina Lee, 21 -year -old computer science student at the University of Southern California, says Businessman. “But the urgency really hit home when my grandmother found herself in the evacuation zones during the recent LA fires in January – I was going because she got a warning on the phone.”

^{Image Credit: Current Apple permission. CEO Tim Cook and Marina Lee.}

Lee remembers that he is overwhelmed by the situation and is not sure what to pack, where to go and how to stay updated. She realized that so many other people probably experienced the same confusion and fear, and decided to create an application to solve the problem: Evakumate.

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Lee’s Evacumate helps users to prepare an emergency check list of basic items, upload copies of important documents via their iPhone Camera Roll and import emergency contacts via a list of contacts. This application also allows users to monitor air quality levels and build a first aid set.

^{Picture Credit: With the kind permission of Marina Lee}

The development of the application took about one month to develop and sent it by Swift Student Challenge Apple, a competition that guests of the pins around the world entered their original set of Apple Swift Coding Language.

Most students are starting to prepare their contributions to the month in advance, so the term “felt a little tightly,” says Lee. However, it was prepared for this occasion after launching its coding trip to high school and sincerely completing several projects.

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As a “very creative” person Lee first focused on design and layout of the application, he says. Then she turned her attention to practical features. Lee asked friends and family for feedback when she worked on Evacumate, and “a very cooperating process” allowed her to engage in the target audience and understand how she interacts with the application.

^{Picture Credit: With the kind permission of Marina Lee}

“I’m definitely looking forward to meeting other Swift Student Challenge winners (at wwdc).”

From this year’s 350 winning posts, Lee was selected as one of 50 major winners invited to wait at the worldwide developer conference (WWDC) in Apple Park. Conference 2025, which takes place in person and online from 9 to 33.

“Developers throughout America are innovating every day to create amazing applications that improve people’s lives, and Apple has committed to supporting its work,” says Cook. “It was a leader to meet with marina because it shows what is possible when coders use their skills to change their communities – including its hometown in Los Angeles.

Among the other important winners are Taiki Hamomoto, 22 years, from Japan, whose Hanufada application teaching tactics how to play a traditional Japanese card game; Luciana Ortiz Nolasco, 15 years old, from Mexico, whose App Breakdowncosmic offers a virtual place for astronomy enthusiasts; And Nashom Work, 21 years, which grew up in Ethiopia and Canada and developed the application proceeded, which provides teaching resources available with or without Wi-Fi connections.

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“I’m definitely looking forward to meeting other Swift Student Challenge (WWDC) and other developments in general from around the world,” Lee says. “During my years, I was able to build my last friend and connection with students from around the world, but it was only through a virtual environment. Waiting for a conference would actually bring this experience.”

Lee currently insists as a front-end engineer in Amazon in Seattle in Washington. The role focuses on web design and user interface building, a process that, like coding, also gives it a chance to be creative, says. She hopes to do a similar job that will allow her to merge her passion for creativity, art and coding after she graduated from college.

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Other young people who want to read how to coded and potential pursuit of engineering career should consider participating in hackathons, 24-48-hour events where the studies are working on projects and waiting for workshops, says Lee. Lee remembers that he is initially intimidated, but the experience laid the foundation for where it is now.

“I have given some new friends that I am still in contact with today,” Lee said. “(Experience) allowed me to learn more about coding and get more involved in the hackathon community. I started to organize some (hackathons) myself and mentor on other hackathons. It’s a good first step in coding and actually allows you to (join) community.