Press Releases

Pembroke Pines, Fla. – U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced today that two students from North Miami Beach are the FL-23 winners of the Congressional App Challenge. 

Jonathan Allen and Jacob Green, seniors at Scheck Hillel Community School, developed an app that offers various features to connect users with their school, including schedules of activities and the lunch menu. The app can be viewed by clicking here.

“Jonathan and Jacob tapped into their creativity and technical savvy to bring their fellow students a useful app that makes life a little bit easier and more organized – exactly what professional app developers do for billions of customers around the world,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “Congratulations to each of them on winning the first ever FL-23 Congressional App Challenge and representing our district so well. I know I speak for my fellow South Floridians when I say I look forward to both of their future achievements and innovations.”

This year’s “App Challenge” is the first contest of the Congressional STEM competition, a program designed to engage students’ creativity and encourage their participation in the STEM fields.

“Young people are our future workforce and innovators, and anything that prepares them for a potential STEM career makes us a more competitive, stronger nation,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz.

To this end, Rep. Wasserman Schultz introduced bipartisan legislation earlier this year to boost participation in the STEM fields by engaging underrepresented students early in their academic careers. 

Serving as the judge for the FL-23 Congressional App Challenge was Felecia Hatcher. Hatcher is the co-founder of Code Fever, an initiative that trains African American youth in the areas of technology and entrepreneurship. Hatcher was recently acknowledged as a ‘Champion of Change’ by the White House.

“Felecia brought true expertise to our FL-23 competition, and I thank her for her contributions both as a judge and as a leader in the effort to get minority students involved in the STEM fields,” Rep. Wasserman Schultz added.

Entry guidelines and information for the 2015 Congressional STEM Competition will be posted in early 2015.

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2014 marks the first annual Congressional Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Academic Competition, the House App Challenge.  This new competition was designed to engage student’s creativity and encourage their participation in STEM education fields. This nationwide event allows high school students from across the country to compete by creating and exhibiting their software application, or “app,” for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice. More information can be found at www.house.gov/content/educate/app_challenge/