IEF

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#HouseOfCode Celebrates App Challenge Winners Nationwide This April

Congressional App Challenge                                                                   

April 4th, 2021  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

 

#HouseOfCode, Most Prestigious Demo Day in Student STEM, Celebrates Challenge Winners Nationwide 

Washington, D.C. – Beginning April 20th, 2022, the Congressional App Challenge (CAC) will host a three day celebration recognizing the achievements of student winners from 2021’s Challenge competition. #HouseOfCode is the most prestigious demo day in student STEM — the new national science fair. At #HouseOfCode students get to hear directly from Members of Congress, demonstrate their winning apps, and connect with other coders from around the country. 

#HouseOfCode Celebrates App Challenge Winners Nationwide This April

The App Challenge is coming off of its most impactful year yet, having had more than 7,000 participating students creating over 2,000 successful applications. With 340 members of Congress participating in 2021’s program, student talent represented will include participants from districts across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, D.C.

Along with having the opportunity to share their work with tech entrepreneurs and Congressional staff at #HouseOfCode, students’ apps are set to be displayed in the Capitol Complex, and can currently be found on the CAC website here. 

Learn more below about how you can join us and hear more from 2021’s victors: 

 

WHAT 

2022’s #HouseOfCode Celebration commemorating the achievements of ‘21 App Challenge winners.

WHEN

Weds., April 20th – #HouseOfCode Kickoff and Keynotes

6:00 pm ET / 3:00 pm PT

Thurs., April 21st – STEM Inspiration Social (Exclusive to Students)

6:00 pm CT / 3:00 pm PT

Fri., April 22nd – Student App Demonstrations

4:30 pm ET / 1:30 PM PT and 7:00 pm CT / 4:00 pm PT

WHERE

This year’s events will be held virtually. Press and the general public can register at the link provided HERE.

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NFTs Win #FoundryTrivia In An Emotional Return To The Podium

Foundry Trivia was back in-person on February 28, 2022 after a three year hiatus. There was no shortage of pent-up pandemic aggression as the players prepared to battle. 

The evening started with introductions by Foundry Fellow (Inaugural Class) Daniel Kent. Kent introduced Kurt Opsahl, renowned quizmaster and General Counsel of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, to start the show. Opsahl’s smoking jacket appeared to have been well-reserved during the pandemic. 

Close to 100 combatants showed up to battle it out for the three steins. In all about a dozen teams competed. The reining champion, comprised mostly of Future of Privacy Forum staff, returned to defend their title with their leader Jules Polonetsky confidently presiding over the table. But at another table, a newly-hired FPF staffer had designs to win the cherished 1st Place Foundry Trivia stein for herself. 

Kurt Quizmaster
Team NFT

The fighting was fierce through round three, with three rounds of trivia to go. By the halfway point, the returning champions began to sense their chances to repeat were slipping away. They were being bested by one of their own. 

Indeed, the night belonged to the sentimental favorites, team “NFT (Nerdy F*cking Trivia), helmed by Amie Stepanovich. Stepanovich had been on the podium before, winning 1st place in 2018 with her all-star Nerd Party Doctrine team, the wonderful Sherwin Siy among them.

While Siy was impossible to replace, Stepanovich (a new FPF hire) made some key additions to the NFT roster including cybersecurity expert Harley Geiger and First Amendment expert Emma Llanso. Having just returned to DC, and having just returned to in-person gatherings, Stepanovich came to slay. Together with Julian Sanchez and Meredith Rose, the NFTs hoisted the stein once again. Wistful, Polonetsky expressed disappointment with FPFs new employment contracts, which lack mandatory FPF trivia team participation clauses. 

Alla Goldman Seiffert (Inaugural Class Foundry Fellow) led her team to a 2nd place finish. The “Zero Trust Vibe Shift” team, which included Googlers Nicholas Bramble and Will Hudson, fought valiantly all night long to hold off a fiercely competitive third place team.

Perhaps the most ferocious team of the night was the “We Own a Theme Park in Florida” team. Their ferocity paid off with a 3rd place finish. Ashkhen Kazaryan (2017 Class Foundry Fellow) and Jennifer Huddleston set the ferocious tone for the Theme Park crew. The team included newly minted 2022 Foundry Fellows Kir Nuthi, James Czerniawski, Matthew Lane and David Morar. Their ambition did not stop with the 3rd place stein. They also managed to walk away with the coveted “Best Team Name” honors and prize, which included a set of four “Alan Davidson” coffee mugs (retrieved from deep storage). 

Kurt, his smoking jacket, and Foundry Trivia will return again. It remains to be seen whether FPF can regain their title. Georgetown Law left disappointed, but determined to reach the podium next time. And one wonders whether CCIA, a veritable Trivia dynasty in years past, will return to form. We shall see. 

Here are some recaps from previous Foundry Trivia nights [2016, 2017, 2018, 2019].

Make sure to signup to the Foundry’s mailing list to learn of upcoming events. 

The Foundry would like to thank Kurt Opsahl and Jeremy Pesner for helping to make the evening possible.

The Foundry is supported by the Internet Education Foundation, and is one of the Foundation’s many projects.

Trivia Night Photos On Flickr

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🚀 The App Challenge Launches Today 🚀

App Challenge Logo

We are LIVE! The 2021 Congressional App Challenge has officially launched, and you can submit your app now to enroll in the biggest competition in student computer science. The deadline to submit apps is November 1st.

Register for the 2021 Congressional App Challenge

About the Challenge

The Congressional App Challenge is an initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Members of Congress host contests in their districts for middle school and high school students, encouraging them to learn to code and inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science.

In seven short years, the App Challenge has become the largest series of student app developer competitions in the world. Over 300 participating Members of Congress will select one winning team from their district to be honored alongside other App Challenge winners at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. The challenge is open to middle and high school students who reside or attend school in a participating congressional district. Eligible students can submit applications to the program through November 1, 2021.

Use this link to see if your Congress member is hosting the challenge this year. Additionally, check our website for a full list of comprehensive rules about the Challenge.

 

Students demonstrating their winning Congressional App Challenge apps to Members of Congress at #HouseOfCode
Students demonstrating their winning Congressional App Challenge apps to Members of Congress at #HouseOfCode

The CAC aims to bridge the gender, geographic, and racial gaps in tech by building the domestic pipeline of future tech innovators. The program has inspired over 30,000 students across 50 states to code over 8,000 apps for desktop PCs, web, tablets, mobiles or other platforms.

The Congressional App Challenge winners receive official recognition from their Member of Congress, and their app is displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.

These Organizations Support
The Congressional App Challenge

CAC Sponsor

About The Congressional App Challenge

The CAC is an initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Members of Congress host contests in their districts for middle school and high school students, encouraging them to learn to code and inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science. The non-profit Internet Education Foundation provides the CAC with supplemental staffing and support. In the six years of the Congressional App Challenge, the program has yielded 1442 App Challenges across 49 states and territories. Thousands of functional apps have been created by over 30,000 students, and participant demographics surpass all industry diversity metrics.

Follow Us
#Congress4CS @congressionalac
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Diversity At State of the Net 2021

Two weeks ago we were thrilled to convene the Internet stakeholder community at the 17th annual State of the Net Conference, the nation’s most prominent Internet policy summit.

Speakers at SOTN reflect different perspectives on Internet policy issues. We have long curated the program to highlight differences of opinion among experts from across the spectrum of industry, government, academia, and civil society. Yet, over those 17 years the speakers at SOTN have not always sufficiently represented women and communities of color. Over the course of our 25 year history, those voices have been woefully underrepresented in Internet policy conversations.

We have made strides over the years to bring more diverse voices to the table at State of the Net. We’ve made great progress in some areas and have made incremental improvements in others. In other areas, we haven’t made much of a dent and we need to do better. In the interest of accountability, we’re publishing the below stats regarding speaker diversity at #SOTN2021.*

Diversity At State of the Net 2021
Diversity At State of the Net 2021
Diversity At State of the Net 2021
Diversity At State of the Net 2021

There is always room for improvement and will work harder. We will also continue our work to create a pipeline for talented Internet policy practitioners of color through the Internet Law & Policy Foundry. The Foundry, which we launched six years ago, is a professional development platform for early career professionals passionate about Internet law and policy. Diversity is a major goal in the Foundry admissions criteria for incoming fellows. We will also continue to inspire students of color to pursue careers in computer science and STEM through the Congressional App Challenge (CAC). Through the House’s official computer science competition for middle and high school students, which we administer, we work to ensure that student participation in the CAC reflects the diversity of the American people. (See impact/diversity).

* BIPOC Defined.
** Our survey of speakers at SOTN was passive. Our data is not a reflection speakers’ attestation of identity.  

Agenda, Video
SOTN 2021 is over. Here are links to the program agenda, speakers, videos.

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The 2020 Congressional App Challenge Launches Today

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives has come together to launch the 2020 Congressional App Challenge. Registration is now open for students, and more detailed rules and guidelines can be found on our website. 

The Congressional App Challenge, the official student coding competition of the U.S. House of Representatives, is an initiative encouraging American students to learn to code and inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science through a series of district-specific competitions. Over 250 Members of Congress have already signed on to host App Challenges in their districts, with many more expected in the coming weeks. This remarkably bipartisan initiative is co-chaired by Rep. Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Rep. French Hill (AR-02). 

In five short years, the App Challenge has become the largest series of student app developer competitions in the world. The challenge is open to middle and high school students who reside or attend school in a participating congressional district. Eligible students can submit applications to the program through October 19th, 2020. 

Students demonstrating their winning Congressional App Challenge apps to Members of Congress at #HouseOfCode.
Students demonstrating their winning Congressional App Challenge apps to Members of Congress at #HouseOfCode.

“Urging students to pursue these careers is important not only because of the COVID-19 crisis, but because we are also facing a larger competitiveness and innovation crisis in America” said DelBene and Hill in a joint statement. “The Congressional App Challenge inspires students and workers to pursue these technology careers.”

The CAC was created because Congress recognizes how essential computer science and STEM skills are for economic growth and innovation, and that the U.S. is currently experiencing a dearth of adequately trained technical talent. By some estimates, there are nearly a quarter of a million unfilled programming jobs in the US. The COVID-19 crisis will likely exacerbate this talent deficit. However, the virtual and decentralized nature of the CAC will provide students with the inspiration and tools to pursue these crucial skills despite the interruption to their regular educational routine.

The Congressional App Challenge winners receive official recognition from their Member of Congress, and their app is displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.

Students demonstrating their winning Congressional App Challenge apps to Members of Congress at #HouseOfCode.
Students demonstrating their winning Congressional App Challenge apps to Members of Congress at #HouseOfCode.

The CAC aims to bridge the gender, geographic, and racial gaps in tech by building the domestic pipeline of future tech innovators. The program has inspired over 25,000 students across 48 states to code over 6,500 apps for desktop PCs, web, tablets, mobiles or other platforms. Participant demographics for the 1,132 past App Challenges surpassed all tech industry diversity metrics. This year, the Congressional App Challenge strives to build upon this success.

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The Congressional App Challenge Celebrates Another Successful Launch

On Monday July 8th, the House of Representatives launched the 2019 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) for its 5th consecutive year. As the CAC is district-specific, students compete against other students from their congressional district to be named their district’s Congressional App Challenge winner. After the Challenge’s completion, the winners from each district are welcomed to #HouseOfCode to meet their Congress Member and celebrate the future of American tech talent.

The Challenge is open to all middle and high school students residing or attending school in a district whose Member of Congress is hosting an App Challenge. In 2019, Over 275 Members of Congress are hosting App Challenges in their respective districts. Of the Freshman Congress Members, 75% are hosting a Challenge in their district. Students with or without coding experience are welcome! In fact, 44% of students who competed in the 2018 Challenge were beginners.

Interested in taking the Challenge? Remember, the application portal closes November 1st!

The CAC is an official initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, managed by the Internet Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Want to know if your Congress Member’s district is hosting an App Challenge? Click here! Not sure who your Congress Member is? Click here!

The Congressional App Challenge is supported by private-sector organizations that share a commitment to creating a diverse pipeline of computer science talent. These organizations make it possible for the Challenge to reach students from across the nation and spread computer science education to all.

The Congressional App Challenge Celebrates Another Successful Launch
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Rep. Eshoo Announces Rep. Doug Collins as Co-Chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus

June 18, 2019 – Today, Representative Anna G. Eshoo announced Representative Doug Collins as House co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus. Congressman Collins succeeds Congressman Bob Goodlatte as the Congressional Internet Caucus co-chair. Representative Collins serves as the House Judiciary Committee’s Ranking Member and represents the ninth district of Georgia.

Several extremely prescient Members of Congress founded the Congressional Internet Caucus in 1996 to address the knowledge gap among House and Senate Members regarding the nascent Internet. Almost a quarter of a century later, the mission of the Caucus — to educate other Members about Internet technology and its implications — remains even more critical today.

The bipartisan Congressional Internet Caucus remains among the most prominent and active caucuses on Capitol Hill. The Caucus is chaired by Senators John Thune and Patrick Leahy on the Senate side. Representative Anna G. Eshoo and Senator Leahy are founding Members of the Caucus.

In addition to its educational program for Members and Congressional staff, the Congressional Internet Caucus created the Congressional App Challenge. The Congressional App Challenge encourages middle and high school students to compete in district-wide coding competitions. It has become the most prestigious computer science award for students.

The Congressional Internet Caucus Academy applauds the appointment of Congressman Collins as the House Caucus co-chair. He is among the most respected and active Members in Congress.

About The Congressional Internet Caucus Academy
The Congressional Internet Caucus Academy (CICA) is a part of a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The CICA takes no positions on legislation or regulation. Rather, it is a neutral platform where thought leaders debate important technology issues that shape legislative and administration policy in an open forum. We vigilantly adhere to our mission to curate balanced and dynamic debates among Internet stakeholders. Our volunteer board members ensure that we dutifully execute that mission. More information on the CICA is available at www.netcaucus.org.

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Rep Anna G. Eshoo Honors Bob Goodlatte For His Congressional Internet Caucus Service

On January 29, 2019 Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo, on behalf of her other Congressional Internet Caucus co-chairs — Senator John Thune and Senator Patrick Leahy — presented former Congressman Bob Goodlatte a gift as an appreciation for his decades of service as co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus. The co-chairs presented Bob Goodlatte, a renowned collector of baseball memorabilia, with a one-of-a-kind baseball bat engraved with the signatures of the three remaining co-chairs.

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Reps. Bob Goodlatte and Anna G. Eshoo Appoint New Leaders of House STEM and Computer Science Initiative

Reps. French Hill and Suzan DelBene Ascend As Co-Chairs of the 2018 Congressional App Challenge

Reps. Bob Goodlatte and Anna G. Eshoo Appoint New Leaders of House STEM and Computer Science Initiative

September 25, 2018

Washington, DC – Today Representatives Bob Goodlatte (VA) and Anna G. Eshoo (CA) announced new leadership for the next session of the Congressional App Challenge (CAC), an initiative to inspire students across the country to learn about STEM education and coding. As co-chairs of the Congressional Internet Caucus, Goodlatte and Eshoo appointed Representatives French Hill (AR) and Suzan DelBene (WA), two recognized leaders in Congress on STEM and next generation workforce issues. The Congressional Internet Caucus initiates the CAC at the start of each Congress.

“I am pleased to announce that Representatives French Hill and Suzan DelBene will be leading this year’s Congressional App Challenge.  The App Challenge, which is only in its fourth year, has already seen tremendous growth and I know that this will continue under the leadership of Representatives Hill and DelBene,” states Rep. Bob Goodlatte. “The Congressional App Challenge is a great opportunity to engage student’s creativity and encourage their participation in the STEM education fields that create jobs and fuel innovation in America. With new apps for electronic devices popping up every day, it’s time for our students to show what they can do.”

Rep. Anna G. Eshoo states, “It’s an honor to welcome Rep. Suzan DelBene and Rep. French Hill as bi-partisan Co-Chairs of this year’s Congressional App Challenge, a competition which invites high school students from across the country to create and exhibit software applications for various platforms for everyday use. The Congressional App Challenge was co-founded by Reps. Eshoo and Goodlatte in 2013, to engage students’ creativity and encourage their participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education fields. This competition helps students hone the critical STEM skills they need to have the best opportunities in our modern economy. Given Rep. DelBene’s and Rep. French’s experience and interest on a range of technology issues, I’m confident the Challenge will succeed in their capable hands.”

“I’m excited and honored to co-chair the Congressional App Challenge,” said Representative Hill. “During my time in Congress, central Arkansas students have submitted for consideration more than 75 apps and two winners Anne Li and Michael Davis have come to Washington, D.C., for the national reception. I’m looking forward to helping lead the charge in encouraging students in Arkansas and across the country to use their creativity to participate and pursue in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education fields and to make this year’s App Challenge bigger and better than ever.” – Congressman French Hill  

Rep. Suzan DelBene states, “As the product of a STEM education that led to a career in tech, I am thrilled to help encourage the ingenuity of all our nation’s best and brightest students. The App Challenge is a great opportunity for students who are interested in coding to hone their skills, learn new ones, and cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit.”
 
“We’re thrilled that Representatives Hill and DelBene will spearhead the Congressional App Challenge. Both of them have shown great leadership in STEM and computer science education. We are confident that their leadership will take the Challenge to the next level.” – Tim Lordan, Executive Director, Internet Education Foundation

This year, the CAC runs until October 15, 2018. The #HouseOfCode  Winners’ reception is set for Spring 2019 in Washington, D.C.

About the Congressional App Challenge
The CAC is an initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Members of Congress host contests in their districts for middle school and high school students, encouraging them to learn to code and inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science. The non-profit Internet Education Foundation provides the CAC with supplemental staffing and support. In the first three years of the Congressional App Challenge, the program has yielded 605 App Challenges across 42 states. Over 2,400 functional apps have been created by over 10,000 students, and participant demographics surpass all industry diversity metrics.

IEF is Hiring a Policy Intern for Fall 2018!

IEF policy interns are given wide latitude to develop programming for their terms. Interns will organize briefings and conference panels for legislative staff on Capitol Hill and coordinate with high-level Internet stakeholders from government, industry, think tanks, and trade associations. Interns will gain exposure to a wide variety of Internet policy issues, and will have the opportunity to develop subject-matter expertise on selected topics such as privacy law, e-commerce, blockchain, and more. IEF places policy interns front and center, and several interns have moderated Internet policy discussions televised live by C-SPAN. Interns will also be able to pursue future projects and initiatives which align with IEF’s mission.

This is a paid position!

Requirements

  • Undergrad, graduate student, or recent graduate
  • Prior experience with technology policy or politics
  • Bonus Skills: Knowledge of Mailchimp / WordPress / Salesforce
  • Quick learning and a sense of humor

Testimonial

For 20 years the Internet Education Foundation has been building the most prominent platforms for engagement. The Internet Education Foundation (IEF) hosts four major projects under its umbrella: The Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee, the State of the Net Conference Series, The Congressional App Challenge, and the Internet Law & Policy Foundry. Interns will work within any or all of these dynamic projects.

Please send resume and cover letter to Tim Lordan at [email protected]

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