Congressional App Challenge
I am excited to announce that the 4th District will once again participate in the Congressional App Challenge, joining many other districts and thousands of students across the country in exposing students to the world of app development.
The App Challenge requires students to create an idea for an app or to code an app themselves and submit a 1-3 minute video showcasing the concept or functions of the app. The app may be for mobile, tablet, or other computing devices. Source code and prior coding experience are not required.
Students may begin the Challenge by signing up here starting on June 4. The submission deadline is noon on October 15, 2018. More information about eligibility, submission requirements, and the judging process are available below.
EVENTS AND RESOURCES
My office will host an Idea Hackathon in September of 2018. Students will have the opportunity to connect with potential mentors and local STEM field leaders, learn more about the industry and future careers, and access resources for designing their app. Dates and more information to come.
Online resources are already available - get started today!
ELIGIBILITY
- Students may work individually, or in teams of up to four.
- Students must be in high school or below. there is no minimum age requirement.
- The student, or two of the students in a team, must live OR attend school within the 4thDistrict. You can check your school’s location here.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The deadline for submission is noon on October 15, 2018. The app students create may cover any topic, but they must be original and appropriate.
To complete a submission, students must submit the following:
- 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.
- Demonstration Video. Students must create a 1-3 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.
- App Information. Students will be asked to answer a series of questions including: title of the app, the coding language used (if any), what they were trying to accomplish and why, an explanation of a difficulty they faced in the process and how it was overcome, and what improvements the students would make.
JUDGING AND PAST WINNERS
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, and will have the opportunity to present their app on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Furthermore, the winning app will be displayed at the U.S. Capitol Building.
2017 App Challenge Winners from North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics with Congressman Price.
Past winners from other districts can be found here, as well as their videos for inspiration.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Who is eligible to participate?
A: Students are eligible as long as they live or attend high school or below in the 4th District. If you do not reside or attend school in this District, you can check other participating districts. Students can also participate in teams up to 4, in which case at least two of the students must live or attend 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 sign-up form. The form will simply verify your eligibility, and will guide you to future steps. Only participating students may complete this form. Teachers may not complete this on behalf of students.
Q: Do I need experience in coding?
A: Not at all! The App Idea 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. Instead, a 1-3 minute video and answers to questions will be required.
Q: What is required for final submission?
A: Students will need to submit a 1-3 minute video detailing their app or app proposal, and answers to questions about the app idea process. 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 materials.
Q: How many apps can I submit?
A: Each student or team must only submit one app. Furthermore, they can only submit to a single District.
Q: I created an app or app proposal for a different project. Can I submit that app to the competition?
A: Absolutely! Students are allowed to submit apps that they created for other programs or projects, as long as it meets the other eligibility requirements listed above.
Q: What resources will be available during the Challenge?
A: Our office will host a Hackathon in September for participating students. Local leaders in the STEM field will be available as mentors, teachers, and people with which to brainstorm for your app. Online resources are also available here. For ideas, you can check out previous winners as well.