Walnut Creek, CA – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier announces he will be participating in the second annual Congressional App Challenge (CAC), an app competition for U.S. high school students.
The Challenge submission period will run from December 8, 2015 through January 15, 2016. Winners will be selected by panels of local judges, and honored by their Congressman. Winning apps will be featured on a display in the Capitol building.
“I am excited to announce the kickoff of our 2015 Congressional App Challenge. This competition provides a unique opportunity to high school students to showcase their STEM skills. I invite students from across California’s 11th Congressional District to join their peers across the nation in an opportunity to display their talents in the U.S. Capitol Building,” DeSaulnier said.
Established by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2013, this competition is a nationwide event intended to engage students’ creativity and encourage their participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields. This competition allows students to compete with peers in their own district by creating and exhibiting their software application, or “app”, for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice. By encouraging and recognizing our nation’s young programming talent, Congress hopes to shine a light on the growing importance of these skills.
In its first year, the CAC received submissions from students in 84 districts. This year, the Challenge is striving to double that number. Recognizing the racial, gendered, and other disparities in the tech sector, the CAC will also focus on inclusivity and making the Challenge as accessible as possible to people from all backgrounds. Deliberate efforts will be made to include students from all backgrounds, including those traditionally underrepresented in tech.
The Internet Education Foundation will be serving as the operational “sponsor” of the CAC. For further information about the Congressional App Challenge, please visit congressionalappchallenge.us
