Johnson Announces 2026 Congressional App Challenge

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) announced South Dakota's Congressional App Challenge (CAC), a competition designed to encourage student participation in computer science and coding, will be hosting its annual coding competition this year.

"Technology and code are at our fingertips - this program is a great way for students to share their skills or take a risk and learn more about creating apps," said Johnson. "The Congressional App Challenge encourages digital innovation in high school and middle school students, increasing their proficiency in coding to set the next generation up for success."

The CAC was established by Congress to encourage young people to learn coding and to inspire them to pursue a career in STEM. Students of all skill levels are encouraged to participate in the competition, and no previous coding experience is required.

The App Challenge's student submission portal is now open. Applications must be submitted by October 26, 2026, at 7:00 PM CT. The CAC accepts computer programs (or apps) written in any programming language (C, C++, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, "block code," etc.), for any platform (desktop/PC, web, mobile, etc.). Students may register as individuals or as teams of up to four students.

The winner from South Dakota will be featured on CongressionalAppChallenge.us. The winning app will also be eligible to be on display in the U.S. Capitol, honoring the winners from across the country.

For more information, please visit the official Congressional App Challenge website at CongressionalAppChallenge.us, email [email protected], or contact Jonathon Sundet at [email protected] or 202-225-2801.