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Rep. Loudermilk Announces the Winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge

Washington, D.C. (December, 12, 2023) | Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) issued the following statement to announce the winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for Georgia’s 11th Congressional District. The competition is designed for students who aspire to learn computer coding, and may have an interest in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Aiden Gilmore, David Wu, and Ethan Konnick, who attend Mt. Paran Christian School, won FIRST Place for their Emotion Detection Analysis and Reflection app.

Before coming to Congress, I served in communications and intelligence in the United States Air Force, and owned an IT services business for twenty years, so my interest and appreciation for technology dates back decades. The Congressional App Challenge is an excellent way to spark curiosity in computer science and encourage the younger generation to advance their education and pursue careers in this important field. I’m always blown away by the talent of the students in Georgia’s 11th Congressional District, and this year was no different. The excitement this competition brings to our students, parents, teachers, and community is inspiring, and I’m proud of this year’s contestants, and our winners.”

The Congressional App Challenge is a nonpartisan Congressional initiative that allows students to spark their interest in computer science and coding. Established in 2013 as a result of the Academic Competition Resolution passed by Congress, it has managed to increase Congressional dialogue surrounding computer science and coding by about two thousand percent. Students can compete individually or in groups of up to four, and are tasked with designing an application (app) of their choosing.  Each winning app will be featured in the U.S. Capitol, and on the House of Representatives official website (House.gov), which has ten million visitors per year.

11th Congressional District 2023 Congressional App Challenge Winners

1st Place
Aiden Gilmore, David Wu and Ethan Konnick
App: Emotion Detection Analysis and Reflection
School: Mt. Paran Christian School

2nd Place
Estelle Roseboro, Kennedy Johnson, Haley Grier, and Bailey Faulks
App: Silver Ribbons Reads
School: Barber Middle School, teacher: Saundra Watts

3rd Place
Aniyah Allen, Lilliana Esparza
App: Safety Tips
School: Barber Middle School, teacher: Saundra Watts

Honorable Mention #1
Taryn Roth, Ella Soto, Sadie Roth
App: Lifetime Choices
School: Barber Middle School, teacher: Saundra Watts

Honorable Mention #2
Eyirah Hudson
App: Art Designs and Showcase
School: Barber Middle School, teacher: Saundra Watts

Honorable Mention #3
Raileigh Riel, De’Syre Hereford, Labria Holley and Kahlan King
App: Choose Your Own Adventures
School: Barber Middle School, teacher: Saundra Watts

Honorable Mention #4
Beatriz Santos, Leila Burley, and Alexis Hardy
App: Antique Boutique
School: Barber Middle School, teacher: Saundra Watts

Honorable Mention #5
Eunice Awobajo, John Wagner Kline, Brooklyn Guy
App: World Cooking
School: Barber Middle School, teacher: Saundra Watts