SafetyQuest wins Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Illinois’ Eighth District
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has named Ameya Yammanuru and Kyna Patel of St. Charles East High School as the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Illinois’ Eighth District.
When asked what inspired the creation of SafetyQuest, the students said, “We created this app because we noticed a lack of basic safety education for young children in our community. The AAPPublications Pediatrics have recorded that 91% of elementary school kids do not understand what to do when an emergency occurs and how to call 911 for help. According to a research study conducted by Tesco Baby & Toddler Club, 81% of parents do not have even the most basic first aid training, which emphasizes the concern that kids themselves do not know either. One of our team members has met kids up to the age of twelve who cannot state their own addresses. Another one of our team members encountered an emergency when she was only 10 years old. She and her non-English-speaking grandma were home alone when her 4-year-old brother severely injured himself. Having to respond quickly, she recalls feeling terrified and now wishes she was better prepared to act in emergencies like that. We hope to help kids like her and many more learn essential safety skills required for life in an engaging way. Many of these safety skills are unable to be taught effectively in school because of time, funding, and simply the traditional procedures that quickly lose the attention of young children. This inspired us to create an engaging way to learn these crucial safety skills, so we turned our teaching experience into a game.”
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.