Cruise Alert wins Rep. Greg Stanton’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Arizona’s Fourth District
Rep. Greg Stanton has named Ram Bhatnagar of Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy, Rashi Bhatnagar of Horizon Honors High School, Abhiraj Vengadesh of Hamilton High School, and Derek Ko of Texas Connections Academy at Houston as the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Arizona’s Fourth District.
When asked what inspired the creation of Cruise Alert, the students said, “A few years ago, our father was rear-ended by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel, leaving him with lasting injuries and our family facing emotional and financial hardships that still linger today. This app is our commitment to preventing such tragedies. We aim to reduce the likelihood of accidents caused by drowsy or distracted driving and spare other families from the pain and suffering we’ve had to go through.”
This year’s Congressional App Challenge set new records, with an unprecedented 382 Members of the House of Representatives hosting competitions—surpassing the previous high of 374. An incredible 12,682 students from across the country participated, representing a growth of over 1,000 students compared to 2023. These talented students submitted an astounding 3,881 original applications, showcasing their creativity, passion for technology, and the limitless potential of America’s next generation of innovators. This surge in participation reflects the increasing excitement around STEM and highlights a bright future for American innovation.
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.
The program is a public-private partnership made possible through funding from the Broadcom Foundation, AWS, Rise, theCoderSchool, Apple, and others.
The 2024 Congressional App Challenge will launch in May of 2025, and eligible students can pre-register for the competition now.