Polynomo wins Rep. James McGovern’s 2021 Congressional App Challenge in Massachusetts’s Second District

When asked what inspired the creation of Polynomo, the student said, “”I was never a history fanatic. Memorizing the names of ancient kings and what the magna carta was not my idea of fun. 

However, last year, my history teacher challenged me to look at American history and government from different angles. In doing so, he taught me that the United States government has made countless mistakes since its founding but through constant reform has been able to learn from its flaws and improve. Defining moments in American history like labor strikes, women‚ suffrage protests, and the civil rights movement have been successful because of a large call for change. Social activism has always been present throughout all age groups and races. However, the rise in social media is changing the way we advocate for change often for the worse. There are increasing amounts of misinformation that is passed around and is highly unregulated. Oftentimes misinformation intersects with politics and the government and has fueled the rapid division of America and countless other countries. It is increasingly hard to detect and many people have fallen victim to it–even me. 

I created Polynomo to allow people to easily rally together, voice their opinions, and create change in a non-violent and informed manner.

Furthermore, there is this misconception that Congress is the opposite of progress. In reality, legislators are hard at work conjuring new laws and bills every day. Many go unheard of, even those that many would support, and some get passed even though many would not support them. When utilized correctly, governments can create meaningful change and serve the people.

Growing up in this new age, I have seen misinformation tear apart my friends, family members, and community. It is becoming a rapidly growing problem that is affecting the world. I wanted Polynomo to get individuals ranging from teenagers to senior citizens to become interested and involved with the daily happenings of Congress so that they together can pursue social activism, vote responsibly, and combat misinformation.”