patriotPerks wins Rep. Rob Wittman’s 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Virginia’s First District
Rep. Wittman has named Yashvanth Singamaneni, Sujash Joseph, Sidhartha Basu, and Abhijit Somala of Deep Run High School as the winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Virginia’s First District.
When asked what inspired the creation of patriotPerks, the students said, “PatriotPerks was born from a deep well of empathy and a fierce passion for our nation’s veterans. As we made our way to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, we couldn’t ignore the sight of impoverished Vietnam veterans struggling to make ends meet. It was an emotional wake-up call that led us to delve into the stark statistics‚ 53% of veterans unaware of their entitled benefits and the distressing levels of poverty among Virginia’s veterans. Their unwavering dedication to our country stirred a profound sense of responsibility within us. We envisioned a world where our heroes receive the recognition and support they truly deserve. PatriotPerks is our humble effort to honor their sacrifices, providing not just financial aid but also helping them in every aspect of life- from employment to affordable healthcare. Our hope is that, through this app, we can make a real difference in the lives of our veterans, igniting a brighter, more hopeful future for them and inspiring others to do the same.”
This year’s Challenge saw an unprecedented level of participation, with 374 Members of the House of Representatives hosting competitions, surpassing the previous record of 340. A remarkable 11,334 students from across the United States competed in this year’s Challenge, marking an impressive increase of nearly 1,000 participants compared to the previous record set in 2019. The enthusiasm and creativity these students display is a testament to the growing interest in technology and signal a bright future for American innovation. The surge of ingenuity continued with a whopping 3,645 original applications flooding in, nearly a thousand more than the previous year’s high. This remarkable growth showcases the exceptional talent and innovation within our nation’s youth.
The Congressional App Challenge is an official initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Members of Congress host contests in their districts for middle school and high school students, encouraging them to learn to code and inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science. This resounding show of bipartisan support emphasizes the critical importance of STEM education in today’s rapidly evolving world. Each participating Member of Congress selects a winning app from their district, and each winning team is invited to showcase their winning app to Congress during our annual #HouseOfCode festival.