FoodCycle wins Rep. Lloyd Doggett’s 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Texas’s 37th District
Rep. Doggett has named Vedanth Ramanathan, Vedant Sangani, William Gu, and Justin Kwon of Liberal Arts and Science Academy as the winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Texas’s 37th District.
When asked what inspired the creation of FoodCycle, the students said, “The inspiration for FoodCycle emerged from the stark paradox of food waste and hunger that plague our society. From our elementary years to now being high school students, we have witnessed firsthand the wastage of fresh, edible food in places like the cafeteria. This micro-level experience highlighted the potential for the preservation and distribution of surplus food.
On a broader scale, the United States grapples with the alarming fact that roughly one-third of all food goes to waste while millions face food insecurity. Even starker, 1.2 tons of food are wasted by supermarkets and restaurants every week. This paradox fueled our determination to develop a solution that addresses both problems simultaneously. We aimed to redirect food away from landfills and toward those who could benefit from it.
Additionally, we worked to empower local food markets and businesses to share their surplus food with the community. We envisioned an app that provided them with a secure, efficient, and rewarding platform to do so. FoodCycle catalyzes positive change, generating benefits that extend to the environment, the supply chain, and the welfare of our fellow citizens.”
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.