Wattora wins Rep. Ritchie Torres’ 2025 Congressional App Challenge in New York’s 15th District
Rep. Ritchie Torres has named Marjan Latif of High School of American Studies as the winner of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in New York’s 15th District. Their app Wattora is a smart home application designed to help users manage their home’s lighting, reduce their energy consumption, and save money.
When asked what inspired the creation of Wattora, Marjan Latif said, “The inspiration for Wattora stems from a commitment to addressing two of the most significant challenges of the contemporary time: energy conservation and economic empowerment for families.
“In an era of rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, I recognized a critical gap between the public’s awareness of these issues and the practical tools available to them. While many understand the importance of saving energy, they often lack the granular data and actionable insights needed to make a meaningful impact within their own homes. The existing smart home market, while innovative, often focuses on convenience rather than conservation, and can be fragmented and technically prohibitive for the average household.
“I was inspired to create a solution that bridges this gap. Wattora was conceived as a tool to democratize energy management, transforming it from an abstract concept into a tangible, daily practice. The core mission is to empower every citizen, from students to seniors, with the ability to precisely monitor, control, and optimize their home energy consumption, starting with lighting.”
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.