PolypDetect wins Rep. Dan Kildee’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Michigan’s Eighth District
Rep. Dan Kildee has named Diya Ramakrishnan, a tenth grader at Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy (SASA), as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Michigan’s Eighth District.
When asked what inspired the creation of PolypDetect, the student said, “The major inspiration for this project was my father, who has been suffering from Ulcerative Colitis (a type of inflammatory bowel diseases) for the past 4 years. In my father’s case, he went for a colonoscopy early when he realized he was having severe stomach pains, but was diagnosed incorrectly for acidity instead of Ulcerative Colitis. Due to this misdiagnosis, his condition got even worse and, when he went back for a colonoscopy in 2021, the doctors found many large polyps growing in his colon. As my dad had a late diagnosis, many of the current treatments have little or adverse effects on him. This inspired me to develop this web application, which doctors can use to detect, localize, and classify polyps, in order to make sure that all polyps are detected as early as possible, in order to reduce the amount of late diagnoses. I would also like to acknowledge my teachers, John Barnes, Matthew Miller, and Clara Wagner, for their assistance with peer reviewing my paper and helping me practice my presentation for the regional science fair in Flint, Michigan and the Michigan state science fair. My teachers were major supporters and always encouraged me to continue my project, even during the times that I felt like giving up.”
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.