Fire Watch wins Rep. Joe Neguse’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Colorado’s Second District
Rep. Joe Neguse has named Aadi Sobti, a eleventh grader at Peak to Peak Charter School, as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Colorado’s Second District.
When asked what inspired the creation of Fire Watch, the student said, “My inspiration for creating Fire Watch stemmed from losing my home in the Marshall Fires. I had lived in my home since I was born, it was everything I ever knew. Losing my home was immensely painful, but I was able to get through it with an amazing community. This loss planted the seeds of inspiration in me to prevent disasters such as the Marshall Fires.
During the three years since the Marshall Fires, I’ve gotten to know my neighbors better. After losing their homes without much notice, they lost trust in the ‘in-place system.’ They continuously talked about dry grass and sleepless nights, worrying that the disaster would occur again. I found this reflected in me; I was now paranoid at the sight of smoke and flames. This added to my inspiration, as I wanted to provide people with a sense of safety and prevent these disasters in the future. Inspired by these events, I created Fire Watch.”
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.