Internet of Things Chair wins Rep. Norma Torres’ 2025 Congressional App Challenge in California’s 35th District
Rep. Norma Torres has named Alexander Lee and Melissa Lee of The Webb Schools as the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in California’s 35th District. Their app Internet of Things Chair helps to collect data relating to fall risks and share it with medical professionals.
When asked what inspired the creation of Internet of Things Chair, the students said, “While volunteering at a surgery center, we learned that falls are a leading cause of injuries and deaths in older adults. There are clinical tests available to predict falls, such as the 30-Second Chair Stand Test and the 5x Sit Stand Test. However, the tests can be labor-intensive and provide limited data. Therefore, we wanted to develop a system and app that could make the 30-Second Chair Stand Test and the 5x Sit Stand Test automated, provide additional data, and be easier for any medical provider to access. This system and app make fall risk evaluation automated and simple to analyze and can thus improve patient care and quality of life, as well as extend the lives of more older Americans.”
The 2025 Congressional App Challenge marked another record-setting year for the program. A total of 394 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives hosted App Challenges in their congressional districts, the highest level of participation in the program’s history. More than 13,800 students from across the country participated, submitting over 4,600 original apps focused on real-world challenges ranging from health and accessibility to education, sustainability, and civic engagement.
The Congressional App Challenge is an official initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives that encourages middle school and high school students to learn to code, explore computer science, and build practical technology solutions for their communities. Each participating Member of Congress selects a winning app from their district, and winning teams are invited to showcase their projects to Members of Congress, staff, and industry leaders at the annual #HouseOfCode celebration on Capitol Hill.
The Challenge is proudly bipartisan and reflects a shared commitment to expanding access to STEM education and preparing the next generation of American innovators for the future workforce. The program is a public-private partnership made possible through funding from the Broadcom Foundation, AWS, Infosys Foundation USA, theCoderSchool, Apple, and others.
The 2026 Congressional App Challenge will launch in May, and eligible students can pre-register for the competition now.