Lymely wins Rep. Becca Balint’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Vermont’s At-Large District
Rep. Becca Balint has named Elijah Renner, a eleventh grader at Thetford Academy as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Vermont’s At-Large District.
When asked what inspired the creation of Lymely, the student said, “Vermont, the state I have lived in my entire life, has a large deer tick population. Each year I hear of at least one severe case in Vermont. A close friend of mine contracted Lyme in 2022 and still experiences long-term symptoms (headaches, fatigue, and body aches). It’s been shown that treating Lyme early prevents such long-term suffering. So, naturally, one might ask, ‘how do we catch Lyme early?’ This question motivates Lymely.
In early September, I thought of two useful, high-demand tools for detecting Lyme early that were missing from today’s internet: reliable risk assessment and rash analysis. While the technology to create these tools already exists, it simply hasn’t been applied to the domain of Lyme disease. While these tools help everyone prevent Lyme, they offer significant value to those who are unfamiliar with Lyme (e.g., visitors). More specifically, although many of us Vermonters are familiar with Lyme, visitors may not be. Vermont welcomes over thirteen million visitors each year, nearly twenty times its population, making Lyme education a significant priority as tourism grows.”
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.