Two Culver City High School students won awards from Congressman Ted Lieu’s Congressional App Challenge, a national competition aimed at encouraging high school students to learn how to code and create their own applications.
CCHS took two honors – Yanga Booker received 3rd place recognition for his KYMY (Keep Your Mind Young); and Mateo Rodriguez received an Honorable Mention for Fieldz, an app for scheduling youth soccer games in the community.
One of Culver City’s two Congressional representatives, Rep. Ted Lieu hosted his seventh annual Congressional App Challenge reception on Dec. 2, 2024. Twenty students from 12 schools submitted 14 original apps for consideration.
The winning app, NeuroGaze submitted by brothers Markenever and Mikenever Dai from Harvard Westlake School, (pictured with Lieu, above) is a web-based platform to help detect ADHD through analysis of a user’s eye movements.
“I am honored to have hosted another fantastic App Challenge reception to recognize our talented students,” Lieu said. “This year’s judges were amazed by the innovative apps submitted to address mental health and wellness, fire and ocean safety, accessibility issues, educational opportunities and more. As the congressional representative for Silicon Beach, UCLA, Santa Monica College, Loyola Marymount University and L.A. Air Force Base, I know that STEM education and innovation will power the future. Congratulations to all of our winners.”
The second-place winner was Quizme by Sophie Ma, of Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences, and third-place honors went to KYMY (Keep Your Mind Young) by Yanga Booker, of Culver City High School. Fieldz, by Mateo Rodriguez of Culver City High School, and RipScan, by David Unatin and Danny Unatin of Manhattan Beach Middle School, received honorable mention.
Photo caption – Rep. Ted Lieu, center, joined Congressional App Challenge winners Markenever Dai, left, and Mikenever Dai at a Dec. 2 reception. (photo courtesy of U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu’s office)
