Alisa Salikhov wins Rep. John R. Carter’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Texas’ 31st District
Rep. John R. Carter has named Alisa Salikhov, a ninth grader at East View High School, as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Texas’ 31st District.
When asked what inspired the creation of GoodKarma, the student said, “Driving around the downtowns of many cities and seeing hundreds of homeless made me think of just how unnecessary and cruel it is when we as a society waste so much food. It made me sad and I also wished to find a way to help them. Hearing that not only them but many other less fortunate adults and kids often go hungry gave me even more reasons to seek a solution. The problem is not lack of food, but rather its distribution. In the connected digital age we live in, it is the software that can resolve such problems at scale.”
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.