Chemystery! wins Rep. Norma J. Torres’ 2024 Congressional App Challenge in California’s 35th District
Rep. Norma J. Torres has named Katelyn Aguilar, Kaylee Gip, and Ishita Tilva of Eleanor Roosevelt High School as the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in California’s 35th District.
When asked what inspired the creation of Chemystery!, the students said, “From a young age, our development team has noticed that the best way to learn or teach children is through games or fun activities, and we wanted to help ignite a passion for science in children. When we were younger, we played math and reading games, such as Cool Math Games and Prodigy, but we did not have any science-related games to play. Due to this, we wanted to create an app that was a game for children and helped them learn important science facts.”
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.