The Congressional App Challenge: Bringing Code and Civics to Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 19, 2016) — The OpenGov Foundation released the following statement in support of the launch of the 2016 Congressional App Challenge, an annual U.S. House of Representatives coding competition run in concert with the nonprofit Internet Education Foundation. Adapting the popular Congressional Art Competition for our digital Age, the App Challenge seeks to encourage young Americans to code, while simultaneously giving them a hands-on civic education and showing how they can make a difference with a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

“Seeing the App Challenge bring STEM, youth engagement and software development to Capitol Hill should be a healthy civics shot-in-the-arm for even the worst cases of Congressional cynicism,” said Seamus Kraft, Executive Director of The OpenGov Foundation. “Last year, we visited with some of the winners and were awestruck by how truly sophisticated and public-spirited the apps and their authors were. The magic filtered up to their parents, too, who said this coding competition was the most positive interaction they had ever had with government.

“As this year’s competition grows to include more Congressional Districts and open more young minds, I want to applaud both the wonderful team at The Internet Education Foundation and the 2016 App Challenge Co-Chairs— Congressmen Seth Moulton and Ed Royce. As these inspired young coders become constituents, they will launch their adult lives lives with a remarkably strong foundation of productive civic participation and engagement.”

Click here to learn more about the 2016 Congressional App Challenge and how a young coder near you can get involved.

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