Archive: Around Town

Washington, DC - Congressman Tom Reed announced that, for the first time, he will be hosting a Congressional App Challenge (CAC), an app competition for students in middle and high school.

"We are excited to participate in this year's competition for the first time in our office," said Reed. "We understand and care about the importance of STEM education and providing the tools to have a developed workforce. We have seen first hand the impact teachers have on students who want to explore this field, and we want to give students yet another opportunity to put their skills on display on the national stage."

The CAC accepts computer programs (or apps) written in any programming language, for any platform (desktop/PC, web, mobile, raspberry Pi, etc.). The Challenge’s submission portal is now open.

Students are encouraged to register online by September 10, 2019. All apps need to be submitted by November 1, 2019. The competition is open to all students who meet the eligibility requirements, regardless of coding experience.

Winners will be selected by panels of judges drawn from the local community. Their apps are eligible to be featured on display in the U.S. Capitol building, on house.gov and on the Congressional App Challenge website.

The CAC was created because Congress recognized STEM and computer-based skills are essential for economic growth and innovation and that the U.S. has been falling behind on these fronts. By some estimates, the U.S. may be short by as many as 1 million programmers by 2020. These are high-paying, high-demand jobs. To maintain American competitiveness, it’s crucial that the United States invests in our youth now and helps them acquire these valuable skills. The CAC encourages students to pursue those skills and recognizes them for their efforts.

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