BRYT Minds wins Rep. Coleman 2023 Congressional App Challenge in New Jersey’s 12th District
Rep. Coleman has named Audrey Chen, an 11th grader at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North as the winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge in New Jersey’s 12th District.
When asked what inspired the creation of Bryte Minds, the student said, “Upon entering high school, I would sometimes struggle with my schoolwork and feel lost about where to turn for help. My friends also grappled with similar issues, and my parents were oftentimes too occupied. This dilemma wasn’t unique to my circle; it seemed widespread among students. Immediate academic support outside school was elusive. My concern deepened after encountering alarming statistics: only one out of ten public students receive high-quality tutoring, which is often too expensive. Consequently, many families, despite their children’s genuine need, find it unaffordable. This exacerbates educational disparities, evident in 2022’s NJSLA stats of NJ District 12: some school district’s proficiency rates stood at 11.6% for Grade 9 ELA and 16.7% for Algebra II. Motivated by these findings, I created BRYT Minds, a platform to promptly address academic queries. This can be academically helpful to many students, particularly for those from underrepresented communities. BRYT Minds is available on both the iOS and Android App stores, making it accessible to a larger audience. Additionally, BRYT Minds seeks to offer peer-driven knowledge sharing, creating a community where students can collaboratively assist one another.”
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.