Bonamici Invites NW Oregon Students to Compete in Congressional App Challenge

WASHINGTON, DC [6/17/24] –Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) invites middle and high school students who live in or attend school in Oregon's First Congressional District to participate in the ninth annual Congressional App Challenge.

The district includes all of Tillamook, Clatsop, and Columbia counties, and large portions of Washington and Multnomah counties. 

“Building an app inspires students to engage in creative thinking and problem solving,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “The Congressional App Challenge gives students a great opportunity to improve their technical abilities while addressing a need they see in their community. I look forward to viewing the app submissions and learning more about each project from creative student coders.”

Students can compete in the Congressional App Challenge as individuals or in teams of up to four. Participants who are not residents or students in Oregon’s First Congressional District are allowed to submit an app to the Congresswoman’s office if they are part of a team where at least half of the students live in or attend school in the First District.

The Congressional App Challenge is a competition for students to demonstrate their coding and computer science skills by creating and exhibiting a software application, or “app,” for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice. The competition promotes STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, and math with arts and design).

Students must submit their app by October 24, 2024, and provide a video demonstration uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo with an explanation of their app and what they learned through the competition process.

A panel of local experts will select Oregon’s First Congressional District winner. Winning student coders from each participating congressional district will be acknowledged in a district awards ceremony and their apps will be featured on the House.gov website. There will also be a display in the U.S. Capitol Building to honor the winners from each congressional district, and a reception all winners are invited to attend.

More information about the competition, including how to register, is available here.

Bonamici is a founder and co-chair of the Congressional STEAM Caucus, which advocates for integration of the arts and design into science, technology, engineering, and math education to encourage creative thinking and promote student engagement in school. By supporting and recognizing young programmers, Congress is acknowledging the growing importance of these fields. The U.S. House of Representatives organizes the nationwide Congressional App Challenge each year.

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