MARTINEZ, Calif. – High school students who live in U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier’s district, California 11, may compete in the fourth annual Congressional App Challenge, a coding competition.
DeSaulnier is host of his district competition, which is open to high school students who either live or attend school in this district.
To enter, students will be asked to submit their own software applications, or app, for mobile, tablet or other computing devices, DeSaulnier said. Participants may use the platform of their choice.
The competition encourages students to become involved in the collective fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, often combined in the acronym STEM.
“With jobs in STEM fields on the rise, providing our students with opportunities to develop and grow their coding skills is critical to ensuring that the next generation is trained with the skills needed to be competitive in the workforce of tomorrow,” DeSaulnier said.
“The Congressional App Challenge allows students to apply these skills and use their creativity to develop apps that are engaging and often provide solutions to everyday challenges they face,” he said.
DeSaulnier will recognize the submissions at a special ceremony in his district office. The winner will be chosen by a panel of local judges who work within the academic, software and entrepreneurial fields.
The winning app from California’s 11th Congressional District will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol and will be featured with the winning apps from other Congressional districts on the House of Representatives website.
Established in 2013 by members of the U.S. House of Representatives, this competition is a nationwide event intended to encourage students’ creativity and their participation in STEM fields, DeSaulnier’s announcement said
It’s also intended to recognize America’s young programming talent and raise awareness of the growing importance of these skills, the statement said. The competition has continued to grow with more than 2,000 student participants last year.
“Each year I am impressed by the talent of students in Contra Costa County, and I look forward to showcasing this talent in our nation’s Capitol,” DeSaulnier said.
The Challenge submission period has opened and will run through Oct. 15. Those interested in participating in the Congressional App Challenge may visit the webpage desaulnier.house.gov/congressional-app-challenge.
