Sibley's efforts have earned him some national recognition.
Sibley, a senior at Ionia High School, won the Congressional App Challenge for Michigan's Third Congressional District, represented by Rep. Peter Meijer (R- Grand Rapids). Sibley is the first IHS student to earn the honor.
IHS students Kenneth Felice, Landon Duell and Emilio Flores placed second in the competition.
After submitting his project titled, "Math Mage Mayhem," before the Nov. 1 deadline, Sibley was notified on Dec. 1 that he won the Congressional App Challenge for Michigan's Third Congressional District.
"I was surprised," Sibley said. "I didn't expect it. I was very happy and excited."
Every year, U.S. representatives challenge students in their "districts to create and submit their own original apps for a chance to win the Congressional App Challenge," according to the competition's website. Each winning app may be put on display at the U.S. Capitol Building for one year.
Sibley, 17, has participated in the IHS STEAM Pathway program through high school. He was the only freshman in the robotics course, then took digital and design and technology his sophomore year. Sibley didn't take a STEAM course last year but is now in his capstone course his senior year.
Danna Fuller, Sibley's capstone instructor, approached him with the idea of entering the Congressional App Challenge.
"I was interested in the idea and thought it was really cool," Sibley said. "I went ahead and started brainstorming ideas and decided to enter."
Sibley decided to create a math game based on a main character who uses four spells to defeat four targets in a back-and-forth battle. Each of the four spells involves a different math topic that must be solved quickly and correctly in order for the spell to be effective.
"Math Mage Mayhem," which is available online through Scratch, encourages players to use different spells to improve their math skills and defeat the targets, Sibley said.
"I've always been a fan of games," Sibley said. "As I was trying to think what I could design, I was thinking of game ideas that could be useful."
Sibley spent about an hour a day in class working on the game, and would later work on it at home while also dual enrolling at Montcalm Community College. Sibley said he was sick for half the time he was working on the game.
"Some days it felt like I had to get myself on it because some parts were tedious to do ... It was hard to get work done some days but other days it kind of came naturally and I was getting into it and getting very excited with the coding portions," he said. "The problem-solving aspect of it can sometimes be a lot of fun."
Sibley said he is awaiting a certificate and a potential trip to Washington, D.C. After he graduates from high school, he hopes to attend either Lawrence Tech University or Ferris State University to study software design.
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