Mind Bloom wins Rep. Don Bacon’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Nebraska’s Second District
Rep. Don Bacon has named Erica Zhang, a eleventh grader at Elkhorn North High School as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Nebraska’s Second District.
When asked what inspired the creation of Mind Bloom, the student said, “As I have begun to take harder classes in high school, I have begun to realize that a large majority of students suffer from procrastination and bad study techniques. It’s easy to blame bad grades on lack of content knowledge, or a bad teacher; however as I dug deeper, I found that the bigger issue is not being taught good study habits from a young age. Without proper study habits, students lose motivation to work hard in school as they are unable to keep up in their classes.
I wanted to create an app that combines all the fun and addictive aspects that a video game has with different study methods, allowing young students to create an association between study habits and rewards. Through positive reinforcement, the message behind Mind Bloom is that hard work leads to rewards. The current school system, which mainly consists of homework and tests, often doesn’t offer enough incentive for students to work hard. This issue can often be emphasized by boredom and lack of excitement, which is why I believe that it is important to incorporate more ‘games’ into learning. I believe that it is important to teach younger students that studying can be rewarding and fun if you do it consistently and efficiently. ”
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.