A Meal for a Plant-Based Diet and an Animal-Based Diet wins Rep. Abigail Davis Spanberger’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Virginia’s Seventh District
Rep. Abigail Davis Spanberger has named Deven Jani, an eleventh grader at Riverbend High School, as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Virginia’s Seventh District.
When asked what inspired the creation of A Meal for a Plant-Based Diet and an Animal-Based Diet, the student said, “This app is designed to help inform how the impact of what we eat impacts the environment. I first thought of this app because my family is increasingly trying to eat more plant based foods, while still getting all the same nutrients and limiting our carbon footprint. I created the app to compare the two different diets to find out the differences between the two when it comes to environmental and health impacts. In my research, I found that meat production tends to be significantly more resource-intensive than plant-based diets, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and biodiversity loss. On the other hand, plant-based diets typically require less land, water, and energy, resulting in a lower environmental impact. However, research shows that plant-based diets may result in a lack of certain nutrients that a plant-based diet may have. This app is not intended to tell the user what to do, rather it aims to educate users on these differences so they are able to make an informed choice. ”
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.