Click wins Rep. Aaron Bean’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Florida’s Fourth District
Rep. Aaron Bean has named Sai Tejasvi Vegi, Annabel Kaye, Owen Bayley, and Dorothy Peterson of Stanton College Preparatory as the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Florida’s Fourth District.
When asked what inspired the creation of Click, the students said, “After COVID-19, social media usage increased exponentially and people all over the world were seen to be captivated by their screens. At any point in school, at the grocery store, or even at home, we were constantly surrounded by people addicted to their cell phones. Any face-to-face communication was limited and entertainment was mainly social media trends and movies. Our community was changing and it wasn’t for the better. Through AP psych classes, we later learned that over 90% of teens used social media and over a third were addicted to it. These statistics added to our motivation to create an effective solution that could be placed in the heart of the problem to fix it. To help social media addiction, we decided to create Click, which is an app that limits social media usage and redirects one’s attention to more productive tasks.”
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.