Placentia, CA – Today, U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-39) was named co-chair of the Congressional App Challenge.
The Congressional App Challenge encourages middle and high school students across the country to explore computer science and STEM concepts by creating an application or “app.” Learn more about the Congressional App Challenge, here.
“The Congressional App Challenge has served as a fun and innovative way for students to be exposed to computer science and coding concepts, which in turn helps create opportunities for all students, grow our workforce, strengthen our future economy and boost U.S. competitiveness abroad. This is more important than ever as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Congresswoman Kim. “I’m proud to support the Congressional App Challenge and serve as a co-chair of this year’s competition. I look forward to seeing the apps created by talented students across California’s 39th District and the nation, and I’ll continue to do all I can to support educational opportunities for our students.”
“As the Executive Director of the Orange County STEM Initiative, I was thrilled to hear that Congresswoman Young Kim will be serving as the co-chair of the Congressional App Challenge (CAC). I am exceedingly grateful for her efforts to expand informal STEM learning opportunities and the emphasis she has placed on increasing access and broadening participation of underrepresented and rural students. Programs like the CAC are transformative because they give students the opportunity to move from being passive consumers of technology to active creators of technology. Coding and computational skills have become a critical form of literacy and will only grow in their importance as fundamental core competencies in the economy of the future,” said Leyla Riley, Executive Director, Orange County STEM Initiative.
“Programs like the Congressional App Challenge exposes our youth to STEM-related activities like coding, programming, and game-building which in turn will provide great learning opportunities for them and prepare them for careers in their future. Programs like this encourage our youth to work as part of a team and collaborate in a fun setting, which increases their ability to communicate and handle group environments,” said Gabriel Sirlopu, Owner, Code Ninjas Chino Hills.
Congresswomen Kim and Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) were named co-chairs of the Congressional App Challenge by Congressional Internet Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Michael McCaul (TX-10) and Anna Eshoo (CA-18).
Congresswoman Kim serves on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee and has led and supported several initiatives in Congress to promote STEM education opportunities for students, such as:
