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Health & Fitness

Things to Know: U.S. House App Contest

January 31, 2014

Dear Friends,

It is with great enthusiasm that I announce the first annual Congressional STEM Academic Competition, also known as the “House App Contest”, opening tomorrow, February 1. This new competition is designed to engage students’ creativity and encourage participation in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Representing Silicon Valley – a hotbed of innovation - has convinced me of the importance of such initiatives that promote investment in STEM education, as well as legislation like H.R. 2426, the Educating Tomorrow's Engineers Act, of which I am a proud cosponsor. We must prepare our students for competitive employment in the high-tech industry and enhance American competitiveness in the global economy.

Authorized by House Resolution 77 in 2013 and based on the Congressional Art Competition held since 1982, this competition is a nationwide event that 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. Throughout the completion period, participating students will be provided opportunities to engage with various STEM educational partners located within the community to mentor and assist them with their app development.

To Register

  1. Learn more about the competition and find Resources for Students and Teachers on my website.
  2. Check out which Congressional district you live in at House.gov. The contest is open to all high school students living in the 14th District and those eligible to enroll in high schools located in the District. You can form a team of up to four if at least two of you are from my District.
  3. Register at StudentAppChallenge.house.gov by April 30, 2014.
  4. Create an account at ChallengePost.com by April 30. Visit ChallengePost any time before then to submit your contact information, completed release form, and final app entry.

To Compete
  1. Submit your app’s source code online between 9:00 PM Pacific Time on FEBRUARY 1, 2014, and 9:00 PM Pacific Time on APRIL 30, 2014.
  2. Provide a YouTube or VIMEO video demo explaining your app and what you learned through this competition process. All entries must be an original in concept, design and execution.
  3. A specially selected, local panel of judges will score you on the quality of your idea (including creativity and originality), the implementation (including user experience and design), and demonstrated excellence in coding and programming skills.

The district winner or winning team, announced on May 15, 2014, will get the chance to present their apps to judges, community leaders, and me at an awards ceremony, while your app will be displayed along with each district’s winners in the U.S Capitol in Washington, DC!

For any additional information, please contact Kenneth Dowling in my Washington DC office at 202-225-3531 or kenneth.dowling@mail.house.gov. I look forward to receiving the entries and hearing about the challenges the students undertake as they delve deeper into the STEM fields!

Best,

Jackie
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