Brooklyn Students, Create Your Own App and Join the 2018 Congressional App Challenge

Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke is inviting Central Brooklyn students to participate in the 2018 Congressional App Challenge, a nationwide competition that aims to engage students' creativity and curiosity in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Launched in 2015, the challenge allows students to compete with peers in their district by creating and exhibiting their own software application for web, PC, tablet, mobile or another platform of their choice.

"Each year, the students of the Ninth Congressional District have the opportunity to showcase their creativity and highlight the issues they care most about through the Congressional App Challenge," explained Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke. "This challenge is designed to push our students to their greatest potential and unleash their spirit of innovation by challenging them to create a web or mobile app. I'm proud to serve the Ninth Congressional District, home to some of the most brilliant minds in our nation and look forward to what they will create through this year's Congressional App Challenge."

Participants can let their creativity flow freely with regards to the kind of app they would like to create — whether it's a game, a problem-solving app, or a lifestyle or service application. Once the students submit their apps, they will be evaluated by a panel of local judges, who work within the academic, software and entrepreneurial fields.

The winning app from each congressional district will be featured on the U.S. House of Representatives' website and displayed in a U.S. Capitol exhibit.

Burlyn Andall Blake, a Brooklyn Technical High School student, delivered the winning app in 2017. Burlyn, who in her free time is involved with Girls Who Code and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), created "HelpMe," an application to guide victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking through the various steps of legal processing to recovery.

Middle and high school students who reside within the Ninth Congressional District, which includes Crown Heights, Flatbush, Prospect Heights and Brownsville, may compete as individuals or in teams of up to four. Interested students are encouraged to register early by Monday, September 10, for additional support and tips, before submitting their final app by Monday, October 15.

For additional details about this year's challenge, visit www.CongressionalAppChallenge.us.