Robert Wittman U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 1st district | Official U.S. House Headshot
Robert Wittman U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 1st district | Official U.S. House Headshot
Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia's First District recently acknowledged the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge, who were students from Deep Run High School. The event took place at Capitol Hill, where the winning team was congratulated for their innovative app, Fintelligent.
Students Aleksander Kurgan, Richard John, Kartikeya Jain, and Tom Cech were honored earlier at the national #HouseOfCode event in Washington, D.C. This event gathered top app developers from around the country, offering them opportunities to display their apps, engage with tech industry leaders, and connect with members of Congress.
Highlighting the significance of the occasion, Congressman Wittman noted, “As a recreational fisherman and former marine scientist, I was especially impressed by Aleksander, Richard, Kartikeya, and Tom’s creativity and their commitment to protecting our natural resources.” He further remarked that the app exemplifies the combination of innovation and environmental conservation.
Fintelligent serves the recreational fishing community and fisheries by identifying healthy fish and promoting environmental awareness. The app has been officially recognized on the U.S. House of Representatives' website as the leading app from Virginia's First District.
The Congressional App Challenge is a national competition aimed at middle and high school students. It encourages them to delve into coding and computer science by creating original software. This initiative supports STEM education and prepares young people for future careers in technology.
Congressman Wittman is a proponent of enhancing STEM education. In early 2024, he highlighted the need for strategic investments in STEM to foster workforce development. Furthermore, in late 2023, Wittman organized a STEM seminar at Virginia Commonwealth University to equip educators and parents with tools to aid student success in these fields.
For more details on the Congressional App Challenge, visit www.congressionalappchallenge.us. Students are also able to pre-register for the 2025 competition on the website.
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