Hive wins Rep. Troy Nehls’s 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Texas’s 22nd District
Rep. Nehls has named Anshul Mistry of Stephen F. Austin High School, Vishal Sundaram of Lawrence E. Elkins High School, and Joshua Bello of Lawrence E. Elkins High School as the winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Texas’s 22nd District.
When asked what inspired the creation of Hive, the students said, “Everywhere you look around Houston, talented students can be found in almost any field. It has become increasingly common for students to take courses at their local community colleges, with many earning their associate degrees before graduating. It became clear that both sides could serve to benefit. Students would be granted opportunities formerly possible only via nepotism, and companies and institutions would be granted a young vibrant workforce whose primary goal isn’t money, but personal growth and development. However, contemporary internships open to the public only diminish the value students can give to a corporation and serve students with busy work. There just isn’t a clear and easy-to-access way for both students to get internships and corporations to give out internships to high school students. Websites like Indeed and LinkedIn provide this type of service to college students and graduates so why isn’t there something similar for high schoolers who, many times, can be just as qualified in this age where so much information is available online? After surveying students in my region about app ideas, the idea for hive came out on top every time. In contrast to popular belief, students want to work!”
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.