U.S. Rep. Ben Ray LujánSTATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) has announced that Terrell Toldeo and Elias Trancosa, both seniors at Santa Fe Indian School, are this year’s winners of the Congressional App Challenge in New Mexico’s third Congressional district.
Toldeo and Trancosa’s app, “Naruto Self Defense,” teaches people to express and defend themselves through hand signs used by the main character in the Japanese manga series, “Naruto.” The app was created to help students feel more comfortable with self-expression.
“Congratulations to Terrell and Elias on winning this year’s Congressional App Challenge! The App Challenge is an exciting way for students in New Mexico and across the country to learn more about coding and technology, ultimately encouraging them to pursue STEM opportunities both in and out of the classroom,” Luján said. “It’s critical that the United States provides students with the skills they need to succeed in today’s economy, and investments in STEM education must be a part of that investment. Thank you to all the schools and students who participated in this year’s competition!”
Luján also announced the second and third place winners in the Congressional App Challenge competition:
- Second Place: Los Alamos High School students Javier McTeigue and William McTeigue, and Las Alamos Middle School student Kelly Isabella McTeigue. Their app, “Road Trip History,” gives travelers information about towns and cities as they drive through on a road trip, allowing students to follow along and even become “Road Trip Rangers.”
- Third Place: Capital High School junior German Rojo. German’s app provides school administrators with a tool for collecting student feedback.
The Congressional App Challenge is an app creation competition for students of middle and high school age. Student apps were judged on the quality of their idea, including creativity and originality; implementation of their idea, including user experience and design; and demonstrated excellence of coding and programming skills.
