NW Valley Times

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ-08) has announced the winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District. The first-place winners are Om Bankar and Aayush Abhilash, students at BASIS Peoria, for their app called FinEdForKids. This app aims to provide students with resources to achieve financial literacy at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.

Congresswoman Lesko congratulated the winners, stating, "I am so pleased to congratulate Om Bankar and Aayush Abhilash for winning this year’s Congressional App Challenge for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District." She also expressed her admiration for the app, calling it "a commonsense app that will hopefully educate children of all ages on how to use and save their money for the future."

The second-place app, called The Arizona Clothing Line, was created by Nathan Narrik, a student at Deer Valley High School. This app allows users to determine how long it would take for their clothes to dry outside and also informs them about the amount of carbon emissions they can save by doing so.

Taking the third-place spot is Sole Foods, an app created by Genesis Carrillo, Kenna Yoshimura, and Martin Shepard, students at Deer Valley High School. Sole Foods allows users to search for healthy recipes using a single word or food item and provides them with the ingredient list and cooking directions.

The winning app, FinEdForKids, was selected from numerous entries from middle and high school students across the district. Students were invited to submit apps written in any programming language for any platform. The winner from Arizona’s 8th Congressional District was chosen by a panel of expert judges and will be featured on CongressionalAppChallenge.us. Additionally, the app will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol, along with other winners from across the country.

The Congressional App Challenge is an initiative aimed at encouraging students to pursue their interest in coding and computer science. By providing a platform for students to showcase their innovative apps, the challenge promotes creativity and problem-solving skills among young individuals.

Through the FinEdForKids app, Om Bankar and Aayush Abhilash have demonstrated their commitment to educating children about financial literacy. Their app is a testament to the power of technology in making a positive impact on society.

As the winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge, Om Bankar and Aayush Abhilash have not only gained recognition for their remarkable achievement but have also inspired other students to explore the world of app development and utilize their skills to create solutions that benefit their communities.

Click this link to access more information: https://lesko.house.gov/2024/1/lesko-announces-2023-congressional-app-challenge-winners