Congressional App Challenge
Launched in 2015, the Congressional App Challenge is an annual competition hosted by members of the U.S. House of Representatives for middle and high school students in their districts. This nationwide effort allows students to compete against their peers by creating an original software application (or “app”) for web, PC, tablet, mobile, or any other platform of their choice. Students can use any programming language and there are no limits on an application theme or topic.
The Challenge is intended to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. It encourages students to learn to code and inspires them to pursue careers in computer science.
Registration and Eligibility:
Student registration is now open. For more information on how to register, please visit the official Congressional App Challenge website at CongressionalAppChallenge.us, or contact our Oceanside office at (760) 599-5000.
The competition is open to all students who meet the eligibility requirements, regardless of coding experience. To participate, you must be a middle or high school student at the time of app submission. You may compete as an individual or in a team of up to four people. For students competing on their own, the student must either live or go to school in the 49th Congressional District. For teams, at least half of the students must either live or go to school in the district.
2023 Winners:
The 2023 winners for California's 49th Congressional District are Liam Dowd, Jevon Mao, Terry You, and Zonglin Zhang. Their app is called Ember and is a journaling application that seeks to empower youth and young adults struggling with mental health challenges. The app uses Artificial Intelligence to analyze users’ journal entries for signs of distress. The app then connects users with support networks and resources to get them the help they need. Their app was chosen by a panel of expert judges.
Winners of the Congressional App Challenge will have their apps featured on CongressionalAppChallenge.us. Winning apps are also eligible to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol and on the official House of Representatives website, House.gov.