Congressman Kean names Jonah Park and Arnav Jain winners of the Congressional App Challenge
BERNARDSVILLE, NJ (Somerset County) – Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) Monday announced the NJ-07 winners of the Congressional App Challenge.
The top winner of the competition is the team of Jonah Park of Westfield and Arnav Jain of Short Hills, who both attend The Pingry School. The Congressional App Challenge, which received more 3,800 applications nationwide, has become the most prestigious prize in computer science for students and stands as the largest competition of its kind in the country.
Park and Jain’s winning entry, Root, “is an educational app focused on teaching kids about the science behind the environment and how change is possible. Kids from third to eighth grade follow a proprietary curriculum through articles, videos, and quizzes. The Explore page is the heart of the Root community and allows kids to apply their knowledge to create real impact.”
The team will receive the following as the NJ-07 winner:
- An Invitation to the #HouseOfCode celebration in DC in April 2025
- Winning App eligible to be featured in the Capitol Building and put on House.gov (10 million visitors per year)
- Waived copyright registration application fees through the ARTS Act
Samantha Billig and Vincent Panico, professionals in the technology field, served as judges for this year’s App Challenge. The judges also selected five entries for Honorable Mention recognition:
Testify, submitted by Shrenik Rakshit of Annandale who attends Voorhees High School.
NourishNest, submitted by Jonathan Chang of Berkeley Heights who attends the Union County Magnet High School.
Sustainable Strides, submitted by a team from Warren: Clara Risso and Rebecca Lubeck, who attend Watchung Hills Regional High School and Kayla Peng who attends the Kent Place School.
FastLingo, submitted by Dheirya Tyagi of Bernardsville who attends Bernards High School.
Billology, submitted by Shiven Das of Bridgewater who attends Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School.
“I am continually inspired by the creativity and innovation demonstrated by our students,” said Congressman Kean. “Jonah and Arnav’s winning entry, Root, is a prime example of how our future leaders are using technology to tackle the most pressing challenges of our time. Root’s focus on educating kids about the science behind the environment and empowering them to create real impact is exactly the kind of initiative we need. It is an incredible tool that will help the next generation become informed, engaged, and ready to make a difference. The Congressional App Challenge is an essential platform for encouraging this kind of innovation, and I am proud to see so many young minds leading the way.”
The Congressional App Challenge (CAC) was created because Congress recognized that STEM and computer-based skills are essential for economic growth and innovation and that the U.S. has been falling behind on these fronts. By some estimates, the U.S. may be short by as many as 1 million programmers by 2021. To maintain American competitiveness, it’s crucial that the United States invests in the youth now and help them acquire these valuable skills. The CAC encourages students to pursue those skills and recognizes them for their efforts.
