End of Summer Update from the Congressional App Challenge

WASHINGTON, DC. — We’ve had a busy summer season at the Congressional App Challenge (CAC). Here are some highlights:

CAC Director Rachel Décoste Speaks at WeTeach_CS Summit
Austin, TEXAS – The WeTeach_CS Summit is an annual 3-day event in which educators, advocates, and other Computer Science (CS) champions come together to learn more about how to promote and improve computer science education for Texas’ K-12 students. [read more]

CA Technologies Puts on Guppy Tank App Challenge, CAC’s Rachel Décoste Judges
New York, NY. – CA Technologies and PENCIL partnered to host the Guppy Tank App Challenge on June 14 in midtown Manhattan. Rachel Décoste, Congressional App Challenge Director, served on a panel of judges from STEM-related fields. Décoste expressed great enthusiasm for the Guppy Tank App Challenge and its participants. [read more]

CAC connected with CS teachers gathered in Omaha
The Computer Science Teachers Association brought its world class professional development and educator community together in July of 2018. Teachers of Computer Science got the opportunity to build skills and get inspired. CAC built its growing network of CS educators thanks to CSTA.

CAC’s Congressional Director Melissa Medina at AWS IMAGINE: A Better World, A Global Education Conference in Seattle
Melissa Medina – the Congressional Affairs Director for the Congressional App Challenge – spoke at the Amazon Web Services (AWS) IMAGINE: A Better World, A Global Education Conference. The conference brought together over 270 leaders from around the globe to further the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Ms. Medina discussed the challenges and opportunities facing education and how technology can be the key to innovating government outreach.

Two Hundred Members of Congress 
Already, almost 200 Members of Congress have launched a Challenge for their respective districts. “The Congressional App Challenge is the largest series of student coding competitions in the world,” said Tim Lordan, Executive Director of the Internet Education Foundation, which was appointed as the CAC’s official sponsor by the U.S. House Of Representatives.