Congressional Black / Hispanic Caucuses Drive Computer Science Competition Diversity
With one week to go in the 2018 Congressional App Challenge (CAC), our data suggests an increase in the diversity of student participant. Several prominent Congressional caucuses in the House of Representatives are taking part in the Congressional App Challenge. Over 60 percent of the Members of the Congressional Black Caucus and 57 percent of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus are hosting an App Challenge for students in their respective districts. Additionally, 66 percent of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus members are hosting an App Challenge this year. The leadership of these key Congressional caucuses along with partnerships with groups like Black Girls Code and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation have enabled the CAC to reach a diverse student body that dwarf Silicon Valley’s best numbers. We look forward to announcing our final diversity statistics later this year.
The success of CAC stems from the breadth of its reach. With over 220 Members of Congress hosting App Challenges, the CAC boasts racial, gender, ethnicity and geographic inclusion. The CAC has reached students from all backgrounds — especially in those that are underrepresented in the tech community.
“Diversity Caucus” members who have hosted App Challenges in 2018 are as follows:
“One of my goals was to increase the CAC footprint to ensure that all underrepresented groups had a chance to participate,” said CAC Director Rachel Decoste. “I am proud that the App Challenge continues to surpass tech industry standards. It foreshadows the strength of the U.S. workforce.”
This year, the CAC runs until October 15, 2018. The #HouseOfCode Winners’ reception is set for Spring 2019 in Washington, D.C.
The Congressional App Challenge is the most prestigious prize in computer coding. It is the platform that has inspired thousands of students to apply their (STEM) knowledge, hone their coding skills and even more, fuel an entrepreneurial attitude that can all eventually create jobs in America.
About the Congressional App Challenge
The CAC is an 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. The non-profit Internet Education Foundation provides the CAC with supplemental staffing and support. In the first three years of the Congressional App Challenge, the program has yielded 605 App Challenges across 42 states. Over 2,400 functional apps have been created by over 10,000 students, and participant demographics surpass all industry diversity metrics.
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