Veteran Connect wins Rep. Steve Womack’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Arkansas’ Third District.
Rep. Steve Womack has named Ronak Pai, a twelfth grader at Bentonville West High School, as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Arkansas’ Third District.
When asked what inspired the creation of Veteran Connect, the student said, “I was inspired to create this app by two of my teachers, Mr. Jeffrey and Mr. Possehl, who were veterans themselves. Their dedication to serving our country and commitment to helping others left a deep impression of gratitude on me. I wanted to find a way to give back to the veteran community, just as they have done for us. While existing VA facility apps already exist and are able to provide locations of facilities, they often fail to capture the real-life complexities of navigating to these locations. My conversations with veterans highlighted how facility locations lack much actual direction of where the building is other than just the address, including any signs or guidance. By offering exceptionally accurate location data (down to the nearest inch) all within a simple-to-use interface, my app can help easily guide users directly to parking lots and entrances of VA facilities, significantly reducing chances of getting lost and enhancing accessibility.”
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.