2016 Congressional App Challenge

July 18 – November 2, 2016

I am excited to announce that the 4^th District will once again participate in the Congressional App Challenge, joining many other districts and thousands of students across the country in highlighting talented young developers.                                                                                                                                                        

The App Challenge requires students to create an idea for an app or to code an app themselves and submit a three minute video showcasing the concept or what the app does. Students may work alone, or in groups of up to four, as along as the student or two of the students in the group live or attend high schools within the 4^th District (you may check your school’s location here). The app may be for mobile, tablet, or other computing devices. No previous coding experience is required.

Students may begin the Challenge by registering here. The Challenge will run from July 18 through November 2, 2016. During that time, our office will host several events, including an information session in September and a Hackathon in October. We will also provide students with opportunities to connect with potential mentors and STEM field leaders to learn more about the industry and future careers, as well as to be resources for designing their app. Online resources are already available.

Entries will be judged by a panel of local experts and STEM business leaders. The winning student or team of students will be announced at an awards ceremony in November, with the winning app being featured on display at the US Capitol Building. Past winners can be found here, as well as their videos for inspiration.

More information can be found below on how to begin the Challenge, details for how it works, important dates and events, and frequently asked questions. Please check back often for upcoming events surrounding the App Challenge!

How to Register and Challenge Details

Students may submit their apps any time between July 18 and November 2, 2016.  The app students create may cover any topic, but they must be original and appropriate.

To complete a submission, students must submit the following:

1.        Sign-up Form. Students must fill out a sign-up form so their eligibility can be verified.  If students are competing as part of a team, the sign-up form must include the relevant information from each student.

2.       App Information. Students will be asked to answer a series of questions including: title of the app, the coding language used, what they were trying to accomplish and why, an explanation of a difficulty they faced in programming and how it was overcome, and what improvements the students would make.

3.       Demonstration Video. Students must create a one to three minute video, post it on YouTube or Vimeo, and submit the link on the Congressional App Challenge submission form. The video must be set up to public view. Videos that are longer than three minutes will be penalized per the judges’ discretion.  Examples of past submissions can be found here.

4.       Exit Questionnaire. The questionnaire will be emailed to students after final submission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is eligible to participate?

A: Students are eligible as long as they live or attend high school in the 4^th District. If you do not reside or attend school in this District, you can check other participating districts. If students are participating in a team, at least two of the students must live or attend high school in the District.

Q: What do I need to do to register?

A: After making sure you or your teammates match the eligibility requirements, you may begin by filling out a submission form. The form will simply verify your eligibility, and will guide you to future steps. Only the student or students may complete this form. Teachers may not complete this on behalf of students.

Q: Do I need experience?

A: Not at all! The Challenge allows for students to explore coding for the first time, or to advance their skills. Furthermore, a complete app is not required for final submission, but a final proposal (and at most three minute video) will be required.

Q: What is required for final submission?

A: Individual students and teams will need to submit a video no longer than three minutes detailing their app or app proposal. While the app does not necessarily have to exist and have been coded completely out, a final, fully detailed proposal will be expected. For more information on the content on the video and other submission requirements, please view these checklists.

Q: What resources will be available during the Challenge?

A: Our office will be hosting events such as a Kick-off session in September and a Hackathon in October. Local leaders in the STEM field will be available as mentors, teachers, and people to just toss ideas around with. Online resources are also available here. For ideas, you can check out previous winners as well.