ICYMI: Representative Tran Announces 2025 Congressional App Challenge Winners

Orange County, CA -In case you missed it, U.S. Representative Derek Tran (CA-45) celebrated middle- and high-school students participating in this year's Congressional App Challenge, and announced the winners from California's 45th district at an award ceremony yesterday.

The Congressional App is an annual nationwide competition established by the U.S. House of Representatives to inspire middle- and high-school students to explore their creativity in coding, software development, and computer science. Over 200 student-designed apps were submitted this year, including 24 from elementary students.

Representative Tran with first-place winners of CA-45's Congressional App Challenge.

"When I was in high school, cell phones - not even smartphones - were still a new concept," said Representative Tran in his remarks."Now, elementary and middle school kids are designing new technology. I was so happy to see how your ideas showed that we can use technology to make our lives better, connect with our neighbors, and expand our horizons."

App design projects were submitted by students from schools across California's 45th district, including:

• Gordon H. Beatty Middle School
• Robert C. Fisler School
• D. Russell Parks Junior High School
• Ladera Vista Junior High School
• Troy High School
• Valencia High School
• Mayfair High School
• Cypress High School

Representative Tran announced that the competition's first-place winner was Shelter Link, an app that works to connect people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles with shelters and job opportunities tailored to the individual. In second place was WasteNot, a network created to help get people the things they need at little to no cost, initially inspired when its creator couldn't afford new soccer cleats and received a used pair from an older student. Little Physics Stories, which introduces physics concepts to early readers through storytelling and animation, finished in third place.

Representative Tran remains committed to expanding educational access and supporting students across California's 45th district. He established a Youth Advisory Boardto hear directly from and provide unique and substantial hands-on legislative experience for our district's civically-engaged youth, supporting and inspiring the next generation of leaders within our local communities. In July, Tran signed onto two lettersdemanding the release of billions in withheld funding for K-12 educational institutions, including $928 million for California schools alone. He also joined his colleagues on a letteropposing the Trump Administration's elimination of special education programs within the Department of Education. Tran also voted againstthe budget reconciliation package that slashes funding for Pell Grants and creates barriers to eligibility for Pell benefits, and cosponsoredH.R. 1666, the Pell Grant Sustainability Act,to ensure that students can access the financial resources they need to pursue higher education. Tran also proudly cosponsoredH.R. 433, the Department of Education Protection Act, to safeguard against attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

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Congressman Derek Tran represents California's 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.