Two Whitman High School juniors won U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin’s 2022 Congressional App Challenge.
At the end of Computer Science Education Week, Raskin announced that Yixuan Li and Brian Mason’s app called Clima took top honors. The app gamifies carbon reduction through a creative user-driven experience.
The game rewards users points for taking sustainable actions in their home and community, like recycling bottles, washing laundry in cold water, and awards points. A virtual sapling grows throughout the game as players complete their green activities.
“Yixuan and Brian’s inventive app Clima makes individual climate action accessible and fun–a perfect demonstration of the boundless creativity and public spirit that live among young people,” Raskin said. “Not only am I impressed by their pure technological savvy, I am heartened by Yixuan and Brian’s commitment to sustainability.”
Raskin added, “Thanks to every student who entered my competition, and to the teachers, mentors and family of the 8th District who have supported our next generation of coders.”
Raskin featured Yixuan and Brian as “Local Heroes” on his weekly video series.
The Congressional App Challenge began in 2014 to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and to encourage students to develop coding and computer science skills. Students in participating congressional districts compete against their peers by creating original software applications.
Winning apps are featured on the U.S. House of Representatives’ website, the Congressional App Challenge website and are displayed in a U.S. Capitol Building exhibit.
Congratulations to Brian Mason and Yixuan Li, my 2022 Congressional App Challenge winners! Their inventive app, Clima, gamifies carbon reduction, rewarding players points for taking sustainable actions in their home and community. The next generation of coding is here! pic.twitter.com/vmw4Nk8xd0
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) December 9, 2022
