MealSphere wins Rep. Colin Z. Allred’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Texas’ 32nd District
Rep. Colin Z. Allred has named Carol Barragan, a twelfth grader at North Dallas High School, as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Texas’ 32nd District.
When asked what inspired the creation of MealSphere, the student said, “The inspiration for MealSphere came from my family’s passion for travel and culinary exploration. As avid travelers, we always seek to immerse ourselves in local cultures through their cuisine. However, we often found it challenging to locate restaurants serving authentic dishes and to gather the ingredients needed to recreate those meals at home. This experience highlighted the need for a single platform that consolidates these resources. MealSphere is designed for fellow food lovers and travelers who want to easily access nearby dining options and find everything they need to cook delicious meals—all in one convenient app. It’s a celebration of global flavors, aimed at making culinary adventures seamless and enjoyable!”
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.