Washington, DC – Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) today announced that Nathan Juan, a junior at Newbury Park High School, won the 2018 Congressional App Challenge for California’s 26th Congressional District. Nathan created FaStats, an app that helps youth sports teams track statistics for fast, easy, and up-to-date results.
“I want to congratulate Nathan on his great work developing this app,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “The fields of science and technology can play a critical role in young people’s lives and their educational success, and I want to commend all of the students who participated in the Congressional App Challenge this year. The talent and creativity of Ventura County high school students is exceptional.”
The Congressional App Challenge is a competition organized by Members of Congress across the country for middle school and high school students to create their own software applications and gain experience with computer coding. Submissions from students across Ventura County were judged by a panel of experts, including Brian Ganley, Chief Information Officer for Ventura County; Rodrigo Cardenas, Industry Liaison for VC Innovates; and Catharine Reznicek, Educational Technology Specialist with the Ventura County Office of Education.
“The process of making my app for the Congressional App Challenge has been a fulfilling journey because I have learned so many new computer science skills and expanded my knowledge in the field,” said Nathan Juan. “I am thankful for Congresswoman Julia Brownley for hosting this event that gives students an opportunity to apply themselves in the STEM field.”
“I am very impressed with all the students and their entries,” said Brian Ganley, Chief Information Officer for Ventura County. “It was great to see the different approaches, problems, and solutions created by the apps. All of the students did a great job, and I hope they all keep up the great work!”
“I have been a judge for the Congressional App Challenge for the past three years and consistently I see amazing, innovative, and socially relevant work coming from students around the nation,” said Catharine Reznicek, Educational Technology Specialist with the Ventura County Office of Education. “It is essential to continue supporting students to create, dream, and challenge themselves in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).”
As the winning submission, Nathan’s app will be featured in the U.S. Capitol Building and on the website of the U.S. House of Representatives. He will also receive $250 in Amazon Web Services credits to support his next technology project.
Issues: 115th Congress, Education