Congressman Gonzalez Announces the 15th District of Texas Winners for Congressional App Challenge
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced the winners of the annual Congressional App Challenge (CAC) competition from the 15th District of Texas. The CAC is a district-wide competition to encourage middle school and high school students from each Congressional district to learn to code as well as inspire them to pursue careers in computer science and other Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields.
There were 10 total entries for the 2019 CAC competition from students in the 15th District of Texas. The apps submitted covered a diverse array of subjects including health, education, entertainment, and public safety.
"I thank each and every student who participated in the Congressional App Challenge, and in my opinion they are already winners who are making a difference in our community by contributing their knowledge, skills and abilities through computer programming," Congressman Gonzalez said. "I congratulate the winners and look forward to using their Apps in the near future. As I continue to look for educational opportunities that can better both our region, I will push for more young people to become interested in pursuing careers in STEM."
On Thursday, December 12, the following students were presented with an award for their apps and a reception was held in their honor at the McAllen District Office of Congressman Vicente Gonzalez.
The list of the winners is below:
1st PlaceWinner: Galilea Gonzalez
App Name: HealthWe
App Description: "My app will help diabetic people live a healthier lifestyle."
School: South Texas High School for Health Professions
2nd Place Winner: Senaida Arispe
App Name: Sprout 2 Success
App Description: "My app provides students with tools they can use to self-manage and excel in their classes by offering reminders, simplifying the studying process, and presenting techniques to handle stress in a healthy, constructive way."
School: South Texas High School for Health Professions
3rd Place Winners: Cristian Villaseñor, Francisco Aragon, Jesus Garza, and Emanuel Peña
App Name: Stay Safe
App Description: "With a press of a button [our app] sends a message to the allotted contacts that asks for help and also sends the person's longitude and latitude."
School: Thelma R. Salinas STEM ECHS
The Congressional App Challenge is sponsored by the Internet Education Foundation (IEF). The nationwide event allows students from across the country to compete against their peers by creating and exhibiting their software application for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice.
For more information on the Congressional App Challenge, click here.