Buckeye students invited to compete in Congressional App Challenge, take skills to Capitol Hill

Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (R-Ariz.) is inviting middle and high school students in Buckeye and throughout Arizona’s Ninth Congressional District to compete in the 2025 Congressional App Challenge, a national coding contest that gives students a chance to showcase their skills, solve real-world problems, and even earn a trip to Washington, D.C. to present their work to Congress.

Launched in 2015 by the U.S. House of Representatives, the Congressional App Challenge is the largest student computer science competition in the country. Its mission is to expand STEM and computer science opportunities for students, especially those in rural, diverse, and underserved communities. Since its inception, the program has inspired over 40,000 students to create original apps for mobile devices, tablets, or computers.

Each year, winners from congressional districts across the nation are invited to Washington for the annual House of Code, a celebration where students demo their apps to lawmakers and industry leaders. Last year, more than 400 winning students from 48 states and U.S. territories took part and had their apps displayed at the U.S. Capitol.

At last year’s House of Code, students heard from top lawmakers, met with sponsors and partners at a STEM Expo, and demonstrated their apps for their members of Congress and the public. More than 1,000 people attended the 2024 event at the U.S. Capitol, including dozens of members of Congress.

Students in Buckeye and beyond have until October 30, 2025, to register and submit their apps. A panel of local tech professionals, educators, and STEM advocates will judge the entries, and each winner’s app will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year.

To learn more or sign up, visit CongressionalAppChallenge.us. For questions, students and families can also contact Gosar’s District Director, Penny Pew, at [email protected].

About the Congressional App Challenge

The bipartisan challenge is supported by the House Internet Caucus and the Internet Education Foundation. It was first proposed under the Academic Competition Resolution of 2013 and officially launched in 2015 to close the digital skills gap and help students see a future in tech. The program continues to see growing participation among girls, students of color, and rural students each year, according to its website.