App Challenge

I am proud to announce the 2025 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) hosted by Congressman Raul Ruiz! The App Challenge is a competition designed to encourage student participation in computer science and coding. Students are encouraged to register online now and submit their app by October 30th, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET.

The U.S. House of Representatives officially launched the App Challenge in 2015. This nationwide effort allows students to compete against their peers by creating an application (also known as an “app”) for desktop/PC, web, tablet, mobile, raspberry Pi, or other devices. We accept any programming language, such as C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, or "block code." The App Challenge is designed to promote innovation and engagement in computer science.

The Congressional App Challenge is open to all middle and high school students living in or attending school in California’s 25th Congressional District. Students entering the competition must submit their app to CongressionalAppChallenge.us during the Competition Submission Period through October 30th, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET.

The winner from California’s 25th Congressional District, chosen by a panel of expert judges, 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 StudentSupport@CongressionalAppChallenge.us, or call my office at 760-424-8888.

Eligibility

• The Congressional App Challenge is open to all middle and high school students living in or attending school in California’s 25th Congressional District.
• Students must still be in middle school or high school the day of the deadline.
• Students may compete as a team of up to 4 members.
• If you are in a team of 2, only one of you must be eligible to compete in that district.
• If you are in a team of 3, only two of you must be eligible to compete and the third teammate need not be.
• If you are in a team of 4, at least half of you (so 2) must be eligible to compete in that district.
• Students who do not reside or go to school in a participating district may join a team where at least half of the students are eligible.
• Students entering the competition must submit their app to CongressionalAppChallenge.us during the Competition Submission Period through October 24th, 2024.

Submissions
Students must check their eligibility as they register and, after creating their app, must submit a video of their app as a final application. The video can be anything they wish. Most students screen-record their application and do a voice-over.