Rep. Levin Announces Winner of 2022 Congressional App Challenge
Oceanside, CA – Today, Representative Mike Levin announced Rini Khandelwal, a student at Del Norte High School, as the winner of the 2022 Congressional App Challenge for California’s 49th Congressional District. Khandelwal created “TeenSpace,” an iOS trivia game app that aims to increase safety awareness on topics such as active shooter scenarios, relationships, and drug use by making learning more engaging for teens. Khandelwal was inspired to create “TeenSpace” when her high school faced two bomb threats in March 2022 and an active shooter threat in May 2022.
“This year’s submissions highlighted the extraordinary creativity and desire of the next generation to find solutions to real challenges using technology,” said Rep. Levin. “Our 2022 winner, Rini Khandelwal’s TeenSpace, will make learning about safety more engaging and help protect students and communities.”
Rep. Levin would like to thank all of the students who participated, including a few notable applicants:
First Runner Up: “Project Democracy”
- An app that promotes civic engagement and participation in the democratic process
- Designed by Liam Dowd and Jevon Mao of Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Second Runner Up: “OnlineCounselor”
- An app created to help high school students select their courses for an upcoming school year
- Designed by Noah Simon of Del Norte High School
Honorable Mention: “Senior Tech Helper”
- An app that provides comprehensive instructions and guides to help senior citizens with a wide range of technology concepts
- Designed by Zane Braunstein of Capistrano Valley High School
The Congressional App Challenge launched in 2015 as an effort to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education, and to encourage students to learn coding and computer science skills. Students in participating congressional districts compete against their peers by creating original software applications. Winning apps are featured on the U.S. House of Representatives’ website and the Congressional App Challenge’s website, and are also displayed in an exhibit in the U.S. Capitol Building.
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