By Carol Heyen

YORBA LINDA– U.S. Representative Ed Royce invites the community to attend the Congressional App Challenge 2016 Exhibit & Awards Ceremony, to be held 7:00 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Nixon Library & Museum in Yorba Linda.

The Congressional App Challenge is a competition aimed at encouraging U.S. high school students to learn how to code by creating their own applications. The Challenge is intended to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education and encourage students to engage in these fields. By encouraging and recognizing our nation’s young programming talent, Congress hopes to shine a light on the growing importance of these skills.

High school age students are eligible to compete.  Students are required to create an original web app, a mobile app, or a tool, for whatever topic they are passionate about.  Students can enter an app on their own or as a team of up to four. A panel of local computer science professionals and congressional representatives judges the apps, and the winners in each district have the honor of being recognized by their Congressional representative.

Students will have the opportunity to meet experts in computer application development and engineering at the awards ceremony.  There will also be exhibits of computer applications developed by high school students.   Competition winners will have their work displayed in the United States Capitol.

Representative Royce is the U.S. representative for Chino, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Walnut and some surrounding cities, and he is a strong supporter of the App Challenge.  For more information, and to find out about next year’s contest, visit www.challenge.gov or www.congressionalappchallenge.us.