Makers of Tomorrow wins Rep. Nicole Malliotakis’ 2024 Congressional App Challenge in New York’s 11th District
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has named Chrystopher Guevara of Regis High School, Stephanie Reinozo of Bronx High School of Science, Jaylynn Perez of New Utrecht High School, and Victoria Sanchez of New Utrecht High School as the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in New York’s 11th District.
When asked what inspired the creation of Makers of Tomorrow, the students said, “As four students passionate about STEM, we wanted to share our love for the field with others. Unfortunately, statistics show that many youths in Generation Z feel discouraged from pursuing STEM because of its perceived difficulty. We wanted to change that by highlighting how the challenges in STEM are worth overcoming, and how there is a unique and beautiful art to it. Inspired by the struggles our generation faces and the importance of STEM for the future, we created Makers of Tomorrow. Additionally, the underrepresentation of Latinas and Latinos in STEM careers was also a key driving factor behind the creation of this app. As the makers of our app, we want everyone to know that they too can be makers!”
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.