Library Logistic App wins Rep. Bobby Scott’s 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Virginia’s Third District
Rep. Bobby Scott has named Amari Gatling, Malachai Finch, Dameon Saunders, and Amialyn Lipsey of Maritime Engineering and Environmental Studies Academy, Menchville High School, Warwick High School, and Heritage High School as the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Virginia’s Third District. Their app, Library Logistic App, is designed to make library management smoother and more efficient for both students and teachers.
When asked what inspired the creation of Library Logistic App, the students said, “The Library Logistics App originally began as a school project for our school’s library. As a school that doesn’t have an in-school librarian, we were told to create an automatic checkout system for students and interest them in reading more. So, to tie it all together, we created the ‘Library Logistics App’ to make library management easier and more efficient for students and teachers. We noticed that traditional check-in and check-out systems can be slow and confusing, so our goal was to design a smoother process that saves time and keeps everything organized. This project originally began as a school assignment aimed at improving our own library system. Since our school didn’t have a full-time librarian, we were challenged to create an automatic checkout system that would allow students to self-manage their book borrowing. Our goal was not only to make the process more convenient but also to encourage students to explore the library more often and develop a greater interest in reading.”
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.