Duval Times

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for Florida's 5th Congressional District have been announced by Congressman John Rutherford. The challenge, which aims to encourage student participation in computer science and coding, saw impressive submissions from young talents across the district.

Taking first place is Sarah Park, a student at The Bolles School in Jacksonville. Park's app, "Spark Care+," focuses on mental wellness services. The app allows users to choose a personalized music piece based on their activity, offering relaxation, energy boost, meditation, or improved concentration.

In second place, Vandana Guru and Meghna Guru, students at Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach and Switzerland Point Middle School in Jacksonville, developed the app "Toast Buddies." This application helps users overcome their fear of public speaking by providing real-time feedback and collaboration on their performance. It also allows users to provide ratings and feedback to others in real-time.

Securing third place are Nikhil Kumar and Joseph Hadad, enrolled in Creekside High School in St. Johns. Their app, "Aurora Vision," focuses on improving accessibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The app converts audio data into a visual interface, transcribes spoken words, identifies familiar speakers, and alerts users to important environmental events. It prioritizes user privacy and control over their data.

Congressman Rutherford expressed his pride in hosting the Congressional App Challenge and encouraging students in STEM fields. He commended the winners, saying, "Sarah, Vandana, Meghna, Nikhil, and Joseph all show an impressive ability to combine creativity with the mechanics needed to create applications aimed at supporting others. I wish them well as they continue to exercise their talent and strive for excellence."

The Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition that encourages students to develop applications for mobile, tablet, or computer devices. The 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Florida's 5th Congressional District is now open for submissions until November 1, 2024. All students in the district are invited to participate and showcase their coding skills.

For more information about the Congressional App Challenge and how to participate, visit the official website.

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Click this link to access more information: https://rutherford.house.gov/media/press-releases/rutherford-announces-2023-congressional-app-challenge-winners