TerraQuest wins Rep. Pete Aguilar’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in California’s 33rd District
Rep. Pete Aguilar has named Duojia He, Vaishnavi Aedavalli, and Alison Chen of Rancho Cucamonga High School as the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in California’s 33rd District.
When asked what inspired the creation of TerraQuest, the students said, “The idea for TerraQuest was inspired by one of our team member’s experience learning about climate change and environmental issues through their participation in an environmental science themed competition. We became more aware of the urgent need for environmental action, but also realized that not enough young people are being educated about this topic in an engaging way. Kids spend a lot of time online these days, so we thought, ‘why not create something that can make learning about the environment fun?’
Seeing the growing impact of climate change and the importance of sustainability, we wanted to create a tool that could reach younger audiences. The goal is to combine education and entertainment to make climate change awareness something kids naturally absorb while having fun. We hope that by reaching kids at a younger age, we can inspire them to become more aware of environmental issues and motivated to make eco-friendly choices in their lives.”
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.