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Congressional App Challenge

The Congressional App Challenge is open to all students in Washington’s 7th Congressional District. Students entering the competition must submit their app on CongressionalAppChallenge.us during the Competition Submission Period by October 24, 2024.

Enter here!

Submissions will be judged on the following criteria: quality of the idea, including creativity and originality; implementation of the idea, including user experience and design; and demonstrated excellence of coding and programming skills.

The winner will be able to attend the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Reception in Washington D.C. and have the chance to display their app proposal in the US Capitol Building and to be featured on the House of Representatives’ website.

What is the Congressional App Challenge?

  • Established by Members of the US House of Representatives in 2015, the Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide event that invites high school students to compete by creating and exhibiting their software application or app for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice.  The competition is designed to engage the creativity of students and encourage their participation in computer sciences and STEM.
  • The winner will be able to attend the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Reception in Washington D.C., meet with Congresswoman Jayapal, and have the chance to display their app proposal in the US Capitol Building and to be featured on the House of Representatives’ website.

For more information, visit the official Congressional App Challenge website at CongressionalAppChallenge.us or contact my office at (206) 674-0040.

Who can participate?

A: High school students who live in or attend school in Washington’s 7th District, and have not graduated from high school.

Q: Am I eligible to participate in the Congressional App Challenge?

A: You are eligible if you live or attend school in a participating district, and have not graduated from high school.

To be eligible to participate in the Congressional App Challenge, you must fulfill the following requirements:

  • You must reside or attend school in a district with a participating Representative.
  • You must be eligible to attend school in the district in which you’re competing.
    • (If you attend school in a different district than the one in which you reside, you may compete in either district, but you may only compete in one.)

Can students submit in teams?

A: Yes! Students are allowed to submit apps in teams of up to four (4) students, provided that at least two of the teammates are eligible to participate in the district the team competing in. Teams with more than four Members will not be considered eligible.

Q: What if my teammates and I live in different districts?

A: That’s alright, as long as at least 2 of the teammates are eligible to participate in the same district.

For example, if you and your teammate live in different districts, but attend the same high school, your team would be eligible to participate in the district your high school is located in (as long as that Member of Congress has signed up.) If you and your teammate live in different districts and go to school in different districts, you will not be eligible to compete as a team.

Q: What if two of us worked on an app together, but aren’t eligible in the same district. Can we both submit the app to our own districts, as individuals?

A: No.

Any app created may only be submitted to the Congressional App Challenge once. This is to make sure that students can’t just submit an app they created as many times as possible, to get a better chance of winning.

Q: When will the contest occur?

A: The 2024 Congressional App Challenge will run from May 1st to October 24th, 2024, pending congressional approval.

Q: Do I have to create a specific type of app?
A: No!

You can create an app about whatever topic you’re passionate about, whether it’s a game or a tool, on whatever platform you like.

Q: What are the requirements for the app?
A: Submissions must:

  • Be original;
  • Be solely owned by Contestant such that no other party has any rights or interest, whether known or unknown;
  • Have been created within the last year (i.e. since November 1st, 2023).

Submissions must not:

  • Be indecent, defamatory, in obvious bad taste, demonstrate a lack of respect for public morals or conduct or adversely affects the reputation of the congressional district:
  • Be illegal under applicable laws;
  • Depict hatred, defame, threaten a specific community in the society or incite violence;
  • Contain vulgar language or violence; or
  • Contain pornography, obscenity, or sexual activity.
  • Violate the intellectual property or privacy rights of other parties.

Q: Can my app be a web app, or does it have to be a mobile app?
A: You can create any app, mobile, web, desktop, or anything else.

The majority of students have chosen to create mobile apps in the past, but you are free to use whatever platform you like. It won’t have any impact on the judging process.

Q: I created an app for a different project or program. Can I submit that app to the competition?
A: Absolutely.

Students are allowed to submit apps that they created for other programs or projects, as long as it meets the other eligibility requirements listed above.

Q: Do I have to submit a fully developed app, or can I just submit an idea for an app?
A: This is a coding competition, so your app should have some functionality.

Q: How many apps can I submit?
A: One.

Q: How will our apps be judged?
A: Your apps will be judged based on the quality of the idea; implementation of the idea, and demonstrated excellence in coding and programming skills.

  • Quality of the idea (including creativity and originality)
  • Implementation of the idea (including user experience and design);
  • Demonstrated excellence in coding and programming skills.

What if I still have some questions that aren’t on this list of FAQs? Contact elissa.khoury@mail.house.gov with any further questions on the app competition.