releases: https://timryan.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-tim-ryan-announces-oh-13-district-congressional-app-challenge
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://timryan.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-tim-ryan-announces-oh-13-district-congressional-app-challenge | Congressman Tim Ryan Announces OH-13 District Congressional App Challenge Winners | 2019-12-10 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | OH | Tim Ryan | R000577 | timryan.house.gov | legacy | Youngstown, OH Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) is proud to announce the winning team for the 2019 Congressional App Challenge (CAC): Emma Davis (11th grade), Alara Erzurum (12th grade), and Ranean Sulebi (11th grade) from Boardman High School. Their app entitled Ohio Gun Obtaining Quiz gives examples of scenarios that could happen when someone is trying to buy a gun in Ohio. The user goes through a series of yes or no questions answering whether a person can legally buy or carry a gun in the described scenario, and an explanation for the correct answer appears on the screen following the user's response. According to Emma, Alara, and Ranean, the app was inspired by the mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio on August 4th of this year 17 people were killed and 27 were injured and better informs users about Ohio's gun laws. To view the students' submission video, click here. To view and download a photo of the winners, click here. Our students in Northeast Ohio are exceptional and second to none. This app from Emma, Alara, and Ranean from Boardman High School not only demonstrates that, but shows our young people are actively engaging with what's happening in our society. These three students responded to a tragedy that shook Ohio by creating an innovative app to better inform Ohioans about our current gun laws, said Congressman Ryan. I want to congratulate Emma, Alara, and Ranean for their work and winning this year's challenge. I also want to commend the goals of the Congressional App Challenge, which is to ensure continued growth and innovation in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and to encourage students to excel in those occupations. This was definitely a fun experience, and I enjoyed every moment. Even through the trial and error, we were learning and having fun together as a team, said Emma Davis. Each one of us took a part of the challenge that we could excel in; Emma did the coding, Ranean did the research, and I did the filming. We all contributed to the outcome in our own ways. I can't believe we won but we did, said Alara Erzurum. Throughout the challenge, our groups' teamwork grew as we faced challenges in the creation of our app. We had a lot of fun despite the challenges. I believe our group has gained valuable skills, which include problem solving, teamwork, and perseverance, said Ranean Sulebi. "I am so proud of the girls, and my entire class," said Boardman High School Technology Teacher Evelyn Stanton. "Truly any of the 5 apps we sent in could have won the challenge. The girls' Ohio Gun Obtaining Quiz, which they were moved to do after the tragic mass shooting in Dayton, is a great example of what we do in Boardman High School.It is an informative app designed to raise awareness, and again I am so proud that these young ladies worked well together, using their individual strengths to try to make a difference with technology." The following are responses from Emma, Alara, and Ranean about their app: Which Programming Language(s) Did You Use To Create Your App? The app was created using Block Code. Please Briefly Describe What Your App Does? Our app gives examples of scenarios that could happen when someone is trying to buy a gun in Ohio. Then, it asks if the person can legally buy or carry a gun as described in the scenario. The user answers the question. The option chosen, yes or no, will turn green or red to show whether or not the answer is right. Green stands for correct and red for a wrong answer. Afterwards, an explanation for the correct answer appears on the screen. What Inspired You To Create This App? We were inspired to create this app by the mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio on August 4, 2019. 17 people were killed and 27 people were injured. There are people that believe that stricter gun laws are necessary to prevent mass shooting. Although, many of these people have not provided a specific plan for change in Ohio's gun laws. We hope this app will give these people a quick overview of Ohio's gun law in an engaging way. What Technical Difficulties Did You Face Programming Your App? Our group experienced a few technical difficulties. One technical difficulty we faced was button automatically turning green when the screen initialized. This was due to an error in the coding. In our case, we had unfinished code lines. Another technical difficulty we faced was an error that would not allow the user to go to the thank you page. We had typed the name of the final screen incorrectly, and it would not go on to the next page due that mistake. These obstacles helped our group's ability coding ability grow. What Improvements Would You Make If You Were To Create A 2 - 0 Version Of Your App? We would improve the app by adding a scoring feature. Every time the user answers the question correctly, they will earn one point. At the end, there will be a screen with the score on it. Another improvement would be saving the users previous responses. That way, the user will be able to keep track of the questions she or he missed. Also, we would add more questions to the quiz. With more questions people can understand Ohio's gun laws even better. Furthermore, we could add a different quiz for each state. This would make our app more accessible to the people of the United States. These improvements would greatly personalize the app for each user. About The Congressional App Challenge: The Congressional App Challenge was created because Congress recognized that STEM and computer-based skills are essential for economic growth and innovation, and that the U.S. has been falling behind on these fronts. By some estimates, the U.S. may be short by as many as a million programmers by 2020. These are high-paying, high-demand jobs. To maintain American competitiveness, it's crucial that the U.S. invests in our youth now and helps them acquire the skills necessary to pursue these careers in the future. This nationwide competition highlights the creativity and talent of the students in each Congressional District, with each district selecting a winner(s) and their app to be prominently featured at the U.S. Capitol. Recognizing the racial, gendered, and other disparities in the tech sector, the CAC also focuses on inclusivity and making the Challenge widely accessible to students from all backgrounds. For more information about the Congressional App Challenge, please visitwww.CongressionalAppChallenge.us. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |