Student Union
US Congress Wants App Ideas From Young Developers
Take it to the U.S. Congress.
The Congressional App Challenge offers the opportunity to present your application to participating members of Congress. Participants win prizes, have their work displayed in the Capitol Building in Washington and receive recognition for their work.
“The Congressional App Challenge’s mission is to inspire, include, and innovate efforts around STEM, coding, and computer science education,” the competition’s website says in its mission statement.
The challenge, first launched in 2015, hosted 2,150 students, with winners from 123 districts last year. One winner, Trisha Prabhu, developed her app at 16 and later presented her idea on "Shark Tank," a popular television program where entrepreneurs compete for venture funding.
The app, called ReThink, filters out negative messages to prevent cyberbullying and allow users to rewrite their messages before sending them.
“Cyberbullies hide behind their screens and use mean, tormenting and humiliating words every day to bully others,” Prabhu said during her pitch on the show. “ReThink stops cyberbullying by stopping hurtful messages before the damage is done.”
Other competitors developed applications meant to help users with unique challenges. Sneha Malineni and Suzanne Bonamici won in their district for presenting Forget Me Not, an app that helps Alzheimer’s patients remember the names of the important people in their life. Other winners created platforms that could teach the public about recycling, public safety and entrepreneurship.
The complete list of winners and their explanations for their winning product can be found here.
This year students will have from July 26 until November 1 to submit their entries. Teams can consist of up to four people, and winners must submit three-minute videos detailing what their app does and how to use it.
Panels of local judges evaluate the apps on their creativity, design quality and the level of programming skills required.
Rachel Décoste, the new director of the Congressional App Challenge, said in a press release that she was looking forward to work for a cause that encourages young people to pursue STEM fields and develop their own talents. Her career in coding included coding air traffic control systems for the Federal Aviation Agency.
“Learning to code as a teenager opened the door to a fantastic career for me. I hope the Congressional App Challenge will be a catalyst for the next generation of tech leaders,” Décoste said.
“I’m excited to join a team of people who are passionate about increasing STEM among America’s youth and connecting the U.S. Congress with their local tech communities.”
Please leave a comment here, and visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, thanks!
See all News Updates of the Day
‘Study away’ programs in the US can provide enrichment opportunities
While studying abroad can expose students to new cultures and experiences, researchers are finding that domestic ‘study away’ programs can be helpful as well.
Some students, including those on an international visa, may not be able to study abroad, but they can travel to other locations in the U.S. for enrichment experiences, Ashley Mowreader writes in Inside Higher Ed. (October 2024)
Fewer students disclose race in applications to top colleges
FAfter the Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action in college admissions last year, fewer students are disclosing their race or ethnicity in applications to top colleges.
Writing in USA Today, Zachary Schermele notes that the data is preliminary, but it could signal a change in the way students are approaching college applications. (October 2024)
Overall college enrollment is up, first-year enrollment down
For the second year since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, college enrollment has climbed in the United States.
But the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center noticed a substantial drop in the number of freshmen, which could be troubling for future enrollment, according to a report in Forbes. (October 2024)
South African universities embrace AI, seeing it as equalizing tool
The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT has sparked debate in higher education, raising questions about ethics and integrity in teaching, learning and knowledge creation. In South Africa, some academic institutions are taking a proactive approach, integrating AI into their curricula. Experts say this step is not only innovative but also helps level the playing field among students. Zaheer Cassim reports from Johannesburg.
International students may be able to get jobs at school
International students studying in the United States may be able to work on campus.
Jobs can include working in libraries, labs, food service and dormitories – but students will have to research the rules before applying for jobs, according to U.S. News & World Report. (September 2024)
