The Earth App wins Rep. Robin Kelly’s 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Illinois’s Second District
Rep. Robin Kelly has named Gregory Mitchell of Homewood-Flossmoor High School as the winner of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Illinois’s Second District. Their app, The Earth App, is designed to inspire curiosity and exploration by presenting users with fresh activities, questions, insights, and topics every day.
When asked what inspired the creation of The Earth App, Gregory Mitchell said, “I was inspired to create The Earth App because I noticed how easy it is for people to become stuck in routine, and because of the growing trend of isolation and loneliness facing my generation, and even the older generations before me. I wanted to make something that reignites curiosity and encourages people to think, learn, and engage with new ideas. The concept came from my own desire to discover new things and share that excitement with others, and I believe learning should be accessible and enjoyable. The Earth App provides a simple, engaging way to do just that.”
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.