Jessica Park wins Rep. Nick Langworthy’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in New York’s 23rd District

When asked what inspired the creation of StandUP, the student said, “The inspiration for creating StandUP (www.standupbullying.com) came from my own experiences and a deep desire to address bullying in a meaningful way. Growing up, I saw the impact of bullying in my school and community, and it left a lasting impression on me. One experience that stood out was seeing how some immigrant students were treated unfairly, which made me realize how serious and damaging bullying can be.

In fifth grade, I took part in a Girl Scouts project where we focused on spreading awareness about bullying. We created a video and shared it on YouTube to raise awareness about this issue. This experience showed me the power of taking small actions to inform and educate others, and it inspired me to think about how I could contribute to making a larger impact in the future.

However, what truly pushed me to create StandUP was a tragic incident involving a 14-year-old girl in New Jersey. She was the same age as me, and if she were still alive today, she would be going through similar experiences and milestones as I am. Unfortunately, after being bullied and filmed, she took her own life. Learning about this heartbreaking event was a turning point for me. It made me understand just how urgent it is to address bullying and the consequences it can have on people’s lives.

Through my research, I discovered that bullying not only affects emotional health but also significantly impacts brain development. Studies show that victims often experience changes in their brain, such as reduced brain cell density in the hippocampus, which plays a critical role in memory and emotional regulation. I also learned that bullies and bystanders are affected in different ways, facing their own mental and emotional challenges. This gap in awareness motivated me to make sure StandUP highlighted these lesser-known effects. Furthermore, as I looked into existing resources, I noticed that while every state provides information and policies on bullying, this information is scattered across different websites, making it hard to find in one place. I felt there was a need for a centralized platform that collects all these resources to make them more accessible.

With StandUP, my goal was to create an app that raises awareness about the emotional and neurological impacts of bullying, provides helpful tools and resources, and inspires people to reflect on their own behaviors and take action to support others.”