Ember wins Rep. Mike Levin’s 2023 Congressional App Challenge in California’s 49th District
Rep. Levin has named Zonglin Zhang of Portola High School, Jingwen Mao of Santa Margarita Catholic High School, Chongda You of Portola High School, and Liam Dowd of Santa Margarita Catholic High School as the winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge in California’s 49th District.
When asked what inspired the creation of Ember, the students said, “During middle school, a friend of ours has experienced severe depression due to parental divorce and peer pressure. We have seen how depression can tear down a positive person so quickly, and he would not be with us today if we did not make up the mind to communicate with his parents about his situation. Our friend’s journey through depression has taught us empathy, resilience, and the power of friendship. His story has fueled our determination to create a platform that can make a positive impact on the lives of teenagers facing similar challenges. We hope that our app, Ember, will serve as a place of hope, encouragement, and empowerment, linking troubled teenagers to the help they need. Knowing how misinformation is often the cause for depression to develop into an unredeemable, we highly prioritize accurate communication into the making of Ember. Connection with friends and trusted adults was what saved our friend, and Ember is our way to bring that treatment to all teenagers in need.”
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.