Chicago Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Encourages Student App Designers to Enter the Congressional App Challenge for a Prestigious Computer Science Prize (Chicago, IL) – U.S. Representative Jonathan L. Jackson (D – Illinois 1st Congressional District) wants to showcase students who know how to code.
Today, he announced the Congressional App Challenge, a highly esteemed award in computer science. The winner of this annual STEM competition in the 1st Congressional District and the winners from 324 other congressional districts are invited to Washington, DC, for a reception and a two-day event called House of Code. The innovative creation has been displayed for a year in the U.S. Capitol, a testament to the students’ exceptional talent.
Middle and High school students interested in the competition must submit their app before midnight on Thursday, October 24, 2024. Students must reside in the district or attend school in the district. To learn more about this competition, visit www.congressionalappchallenge.
“This competition is to inspire students in Chicago, Illinois, and across the nation to explore STEM, coding, and computer science,” Congressman Jackson said. “Chicago was the nation’s first big city school district to make computer science a requirement for graduation. We want to showcase the innovation of our students and build awareness for all students to explore opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) because many doors of opportunities will open for them in the future.”
Last year, 11,334 students from across the nation, including many from our own district, competed in the challenge, marking a significant 10 percent increase from the previous year. The competition, which began in 2015, continues to grow and thrive.
James Hubbard, a 10th grader attending The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, was selected as the winner of the 1st Congressional District. James submitted a creation called StockfishOnline, a chess engine rest API that makes it easier for the user to play a game and store high scores.
Increased 2,000%!
Congressman Jackson reiterated his call for more students to compete and showcase their tech savviness. He also extended his encouragement to schools that may not have the resources to provide their students with coding, urging them to reach out for support. His message is clear: everyone is welcome and supported in this endeavor.
“We realize many schools do not offer coding or have afterschool STEM programs,” Congressman Jackson said. “We want to bring awareness about their need and look for ways to find sponsors or funding. This includes training teachers to teach coding and assist more students in applying for the app challenge.”
Chicago Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Encourages Student App Designers to Enter the Congressional App Challenge for a Prestigious Computer Science Prize
