VeteranCare wins Rep. Laurel Lee’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Florida’s 15th District
Rep. Laurel Lee has named Eeshan Sakamuri, a eleventh grader at Middleton High School, as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Florida’s 15th District.
When asked what inspired the creation of VeteranCare, the student said, “Over the summer, I volunteered at a free, full-service non-profit restaurant called Trinity Cafe, where I helped serve food to those in need. While serving, I noticed a rising trend: many of the individuals we were serving were veterans. When I struck up conversation with these veterans they told me they couldn’t figure out how to get help and just gave up. This was shocking to me as I had always heard about the various benefits veterans receive after leaving the military. Interested, I decided to conduct research and uncovered the harsh realities of life for many veterans when they return to civilian life. Growing up, I was taught to honor and respect military service members, so this revelation affected me and inspired me to create VeteranCare. My dream is for all veterans to be aware of the resources they may be eligible for and to comfortably recover from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The lack of awareness and solutions, coupled with the shocking conditions veterans face, is what drove me to develop this app.”
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.