U.S. Congressman Michael C. Burgess is pleased to announce that registration for the 2024 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) is open. The CAC is the official computer science competition of the U.S. House of Representatives. Since its inception in 2013, the Congressional App Challenge has grown to become the most prestigious prize in computer science. Over 50,000 students have participated in the annual competition across 374 Congressional Districts in 50 states and five U.S. territories.
The CAC urges all students to enter the competition, as it promotes critical thinking and creativity for those of all computer science experience levels. The 2024 Congressional App Challenge is open to middle and high students who reside in or attend schools located in the 26th Congressional District of Texas. The submission deadline is October 24, 2024. Note: Student apps coded after November 1, 2023 are eligible to be submitted for the 2024 contest. Students can register here!
Our panel of expert judges will be tasked with choosing a grand prize winner for the 26th Congressional District of Texas. The grand prize winner will have the opportunity to have their winning app displayed electronically in the U.S. Capitol and on the U.S. House of Representatives website (App Challenge | house.gov) for one year! The grand prize winner from each congressional district will be invited to attend the national recognition reception, #HouseOfCode, in the U.S. Capitol in Spring 2025. This event serves as a platform to recognize and celebrate the innovative contributions of these outstanding young minds in the field of computer science.
The winning app for the 2023 CAC for the 26th Congressional District was created by Ms. Sanchana Shanmuga, a senior at Flower Mound High School. The winning app was entitled “Auditory”. The app was initially designed as an audio-based studying app to assist visually impaired students to prepare for school assignments. However, Sanchana realized the app’s three key features: “Learn”, “Quiz”, and “Scan” can help all students study smarter! “Learn” reads the student’s notes aloud; the more the student hears their notes, the more familiar they become with the content. The next feature “Quiz” is created to specifically target the student's ability to answer questions and can be used for vocabulary or memorization. Lastly, with the “Scan” function, students can use their phone to take a picture of their physical notes and easily convert images to text. The student is then able to copy the text to their clipboard to use in the “Learn” or “Study” functions. “I applaud the creativity of all the students that participated in this year’s contest and extend special congratulations to Sanchana for her winning app” remarked Congressman Burgess.
All interested students are encouraged to participate in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge, regardless of previous coding experience. Congressman Burgess looks forward to viewing their submissions!
To learn more about the rules, prizes, and more, you can visit the CAC website: RULES - (congressionalappchallenge.us). If you have any questions, please contact Robin Vaughan, Deputy District Coordinator, in the Lake Dallas office by email: robin.vaughan@mail.house.gov or phone: 940-497-5031. Click HERE for the 2024 Congressional App Challenge flyer.
