Washington, D.C.– Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) announced he will host the inaugural Congressional Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Academic Competition for students in California’s 9th Congressional District. The competition is part of a nationwide House Student App Challenge created to encourage students to participate in STEM education programs.
“This contest is a great way for our students to show off what they’re learning. STEM education is incredibly important because those fields are where the jobs will be in the future,” said Rep. McNerney. “We need to encourage our students who have a passion and enthusiasm for math and science.”
Participating students will develop a software application for mobile, tablet, or desktop platforms. The winning app from the 9th District will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol and featured on Congressman McNerney’s official website.
Students will create and upload a three minute video explaining how the app works and what they learned by participating in the contest. Students should provide a link to their video that they have uploaded to either YouTube or VIMEO.
The contest is open to all high school students who reside in the 9th Congressional District. Entrants may compete individually or in teams of up to four students. To enter, students should register at StudentAppChallenge.house.gov. The deadline for submissions is April 30th.
Students, parents and teachers who want more information should come to one of two kick-off events Congressman McNerney will hold in his district. The events will include app demonstrations and discussions, as well as a brief overview of the rules and registration process for the contest. There will also be an opportunity for the students in attendance to register for the competition with the assistance of staff members.
The details for the kick-off events are as follows:
San Joaquin County Kick-Off:
When: February 18, 2014 from 4-6 PM
Where: Thomas Alva Edison High School- 1425 S. Center Street, Stockton, CA 95206
East Contra Costa County Kick-Off:
When: February 20, 2014 from 4-6 PM
Where: Deer Valley High School- 4700 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, CA 94531
Students and teachers interested in the Congressional STEM App Competition should contact Colleen Isenberg in Rep. McNerney’s Antioch office at (925) 754-0716 or Chiakis Xiong in Rep. McNerney’s Stockton office at (209) 476-8552 for further guidelines and information.
