Rep. Kelly announces annual Congressional App Challenge as new school year begins

August 29, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As the 2023-24 school year gets underway across Western Pennsylvania, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) announced today the new Congressional App Challenge is open to all eligible high school students in Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District.

Students are encouraged to register before September 30th, 2023 (registration indicates the student's intent to compete). Students are encouraged to register online. Teachers across Western Pennsylvania are encouraged to have their students participate.

Submissions are due on November 1st, 2023. The competition is open to all students who meet the eligibility requirements, regardless of coding experience.

"This contest is a great way for students pursuing a career in engineering or computer science to showcase their skills and to put into practice what they have learned in the classroom," Rep. Kelly said. "STEM is an incredibly important part of a student's education as they prepare for college and the workforce. I encourage all eligible students in the 16th Congressional District to participate and test their skills!"

Below are some of the criteria to participate in this 2023 Congressional App Challenge:

You must be a middle or high school student at the time of app submission.
Students may register as individuals or as teams of up to four. No more than four students are allowed to form a team.
Students may compete in the district they reside in or the district they attend school in.
If competing as a team, at least half of the teammates must be eligible to compete in the district in which they are participating in.

For further information about the Congressional App Challenge, please visit www.CongressionalAppChallenge.us or email program coordinator Julie Swartfager, Julie.Swartfager@mail.house.gov.

Below are the winners of this year's competition for Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District:

1st Place: William Parisi, Taylor Stevens and Tyler Sasse of Knoch High School, Saxonburg, for their APP entitled, “EPIC GOLF"

2nd Place: Tanvi & Asheen Uldgiri of Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, Erie, for their Second-place award for their APP entitled, “The Numbers Game.”

3rd Place: Noah Coachman, Emily Greb & Riley Gillis of Knoch High School, Saxonburg, for their app, “The Maze Game."