SurVive! wins Rep. Yvette Clarke’s 2023 Congressional App Challenge in New York’s Ninth District
Rep. Clarke has named Jayden Byfield, Tristan Hitchins, Florentz Macguffie, and Jayden Mclean of Brooklyn Science and Engineering Academy as the winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge in New York’s Ninth District.
When asked what inspired the creation of SurVive! The students said, “What inspired us was the amount of people getting hurt during wildfires and other disasters such as flooding in New York and poor air quality during Canada’s wildfires. We wanted adults and students to be able to get information easily and to have it remotely so that wherever or whenever it happens they can prepare and learn about how to survive any natural disaster, especially in a large city like New York.”
This year’s Challenge saw an unprecedented level of participation, with 374 Members of the House of Representatives hosting competitions, surpassing the previous record of 340. A remarkable 11,334 students from across the United States competed in this year’s Challenge, marking an impressive increase of nearly 1,000 participants compared to the previous record set in 2019. The enthusiasm and creativity these students display is a testament to the growing interest in technology and signal a bright future for American innovation. The surge of ingenuity continued with a whopping 3,645 original applications flooding in, nearly a thousand more than the previous year’s high. This remarkable growth showcases the exceptional talent and innovation within our nation’s youth.
The Congressional App Challenge is an official initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Members of Congress host contests in their districts for middle school and high school students, encouraging them to learn to code and inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science. This resounding show of bipartisan support emphasizes the critical importance of STEM education in today’s rapidly evolving world. Each participating Member of Congress selects a winning app from their district, and each winning team is invited to showcase their winning app to Congress during our annual #HouseOfCode festival.