Representative Adriano Espaillat Announces Winners of the Congressional App Challenge

NEW YORK, NY – Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) proudly announces the exceptional student winners of the Congressional App Challenge, an esteemed annual competition spotlighting student engagement in STEM and proficiency in computer science. 

Winners: Akm Hasan, Xavier Arroyo, and Saad Kashif, students of the CCNY STEM Institute, received first-place recognition with their innovative creation, "Study Genius," an app tailored to aid high school students in their academic pursuits. 

"I extend heartfelt congratulations to Akm Hasan, Xavier Arroyo, Saad Kashif, and all participating students for their remarkable contributions to the Congressional App Challenge. Their adept use of code to confront contemporary issues is truly inspiring, reflecting their potential to effect positive change within their generation and communities," said Rep. Espaillat.

The winning app, Study Genius, stands out for its compelling features, including personalized study goals, progress monitoring, collaborative study sessions, and virtual incentives, all wrapped in a user-friendly interface designed to motivate and empower high school students. 

Acknowledging excellence beyond the first-place winner, Rep. Espaillat recognizes the noteworthy accomplishments of the runners-up, Tasmin Sabnam for the Universum Writing App; and, John Chandler, Kenneth Jusuf, and Joshua Lopez for the First Steps app. These apps, developed within the courses offered by the CCNY STEM Institute, underscore the institution's commitment to nurturing talent in the realm of app design.

This year's victory marks the CCNY STEM Institute's consecutive year of success in producing winning teams for New York's 13th congressional district, showcasing the institution's dedication to fostering innovation and excellence among its students.

Gareth Williams and Jennifer Taveras, representatives of the CCNY STEM Institute, express immense pride in the achievements of their student teams, highlighting the pivotal role of dedicated instructors in cultivating a culture of creativity and problem-solving among students.

"We are immensely proud of the exceptional achievements of our student teams, supported by our outstanding instructors Ms. Yanilda Peralta and Mr. Arthur Godiva at the STEM Institute. Through our App Design & Entrepreneurship course, we aim to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to tackle real-world challenges using technology," remarked Joseph Barba and Doris Cintron Senior Leadership at the CCNY STEM Institute. 

The winning apps – Study Genius, Universum App, and First Steps App – epitomize the creative spirit and problem-solving acumen that the CCNY STEM Institute strives to instill in its students, paving the way for a future marked by innovation and progress.

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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fourth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 118th Congress. He is also a member of the House Budget Committee and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves in a leadership role as the Deputy Chair as well as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). Rep. Espaillat is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov