Rep. Panetta Announces Student Winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge
San Jose, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) announced the student winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for California’s 19th Congressional District. This year, 60 students from across California’s 19th Congressional District participated in the challenge, developing 44 original apps tackling issues ranging from sustainability, education, and social justice. Student participants included middle and high school students from 18 different schools.
First place went to Saumit Pathak from Silver Creek High School for the creation of an innovative app, LeftoSense. This award highlights Saumit’s outstanding achievement in leveraging technology to create meaningful impact on their community. Saumit will also be invited to the #HouseofCode Event in Washington D.C. in the Spring of 2026 alongside other student innovators and have LeftoSense exhibited in the U.S. Capitol.
Saumit’s app, LeftoSense, is a web application that utilizes AI to determine if the food is still safe for consumption or is beginning to spoil and then directs the user to the nearest donation point through Google Maps. By addressing concerns about food safety and making it easy to donate food, LeftoSense will help communities reduce food waste, stay healthy, and give people the ability to make better food choices.
Swarasai Mulagari from Evergreen Valley High School received second place for creating the app ShineUp, which serves as a starting point for people looking for clearer, healthier skin. Bryan Hu and Jun Jiang from Valley Christian High School received third place for creating the app Billion, which uses AI to analyze complex government websites and documents to summarize them, helping people stay informed about government actions and political developments.
The Congressional App Challenge promotes student innovation, creativity, and engagement in computer science through competition and the creation of a new digital application or “app.”
“Our country appreciates the talent, drive, and ingenuity of our students to discover new technological solutions to real-world problems,” said Rep. Panetta. “I am proud to continue to provide an outlet through the annual Congressional App Competition for students to not only test their digital skills but also to see how they can make a difference in our community. Congratulations to all the participants in the App Challenge for creating amazing apps that exemplify California’s 19th Congressional District’s leadership in tech and deep-rooted commitment to service.”
Winning apps are eligible to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol building and featured on the House of Representatives website, www.House.gov.
Officially launched by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015, the Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide effort that allows students to compete against their peers by creating an application or “app,” for desktop/PC, web, tablet, mobile, or other devices. The Congressional App Challenge is open to all middle and high school students in California’s 19th Congressional District.
For more information on the Congressional App Challenge and how to get involved in future competitions, visit: https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/
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