Angelina Le wins Rep. Brandon Williams’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in New York’s 22nd District
Rep. Brandon Williams has named Angelina Le, an twelfth grader at Thomas R. Proctor High School, as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in New York’s 22nd District.
When asked what inspired the creation of DoodleMind, the student said, “I was inspired to create this app because I myself have struggled with mental health, especially that of which comes from feelings of being pressured. Art has always been a creative outlet for me, but as I have gotten older, art had become somewhat of another pressure for me. I had more expectations to draw to win an award or to adhere to a deadline for a project, defeating the joy it once had for me. Though I don’t embark on projects as often, I doodle every day, whether that be on my classwork assignments or my sketchbook. Small consistent efforts have such powerful effects over a long period of time, and doodles are the exact same concept. While the big white canvas is often too intimidating for myself and many others, ideas coming easily under the idea of doodling. These ideas often transform into those greater projects. I am indebt to doodling, and I want to help others that may be struggling mentally or with art.”
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.