CareCompanion wins Rep. Katherine Clark’s 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Massachusetts’ Fifth District
Rep. Katherine Clark has named Justin Wang and Jonathan Shan of Lexington High School and Poolesville High School as the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Massachusetts’s Fifth District. Their app CareCompanion is an AI-powered mobile application designed to help seniors stay safe, healthy, and emotionally connected using the comforting sound of a loved one’s voice.
When asked what inspired the creation of CareCompanion, the students said, “Our inspiration was deeply personal: caring for our grandparents. We saw the challenges they faced living alone, such as the daily struggle of managing multiple medications, the constant worry about falls, and handling emergencies that would pull our parents away from work. We noticed that existing technology often felt cold and complicated, sadly adding to their burden instead of easing their lives.
“We soon realized our family’s struggle was far from unique. Millions of older adults and their families face these exact same pressures. A single fall or missed medication doesn’t just pose a health risk—it carries a social and financial cost, leading to high medical costs, deeper family debt, and heavier burdens on caregivers. This isn’t just a personal issue; it’s a generational challenge.
“That’s why we built CareCompanion around a simple but powerful idea: support that feels human. The app includes key safety features and critical functions for seniors, such as medication reminders and prescription management, all delivered in the comforting voice of a loved one. Whether it’s a prompt saying ‘It is time to take your medicine,’ ‘Please check your heart rate,’ or ‘Don’t worry, help is on the way,’ everything is designed to be straightforward and hands-free. Our goal goes beyond safety—it’s about preserving dignity, reducing loneliness, and giving families peace of mind. We help our grandparents and other seniors feel more secure and connected.”
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.
