Peoria Standard

Representative Darin LaHood of Illinois' 16th Congressional District has announced the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge. A team from the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, consisting of Saaketh Bhojanam, Sohum Mehta, Abhilash Polu, and Sonit Sahoo, emerged victorious with their application "BiteSense." The app uses Python programming to photograph insect bites and utilizes artificial intelligence to identify them and provide treatment advice.

"My office has been proud to host the Congressional App Challenge for the past 9 years to encourage students in the 16th Congressional District to pursue their passion in STEM fields," said Rep. LaHood. "Each year, I have been amazed by the talent of our students and the creativity of the applications they put together to solve real-world problems. Congratulations to Saaketh, Sohum, Abhilash, and Sonit, and thank you to all the students who participated this year!"

The winning team will be invited to demonstrate their application in Washington, D.C., have it featured on the House of Representatives website (www.house.gov), and receive a copyright fee waiver provided through the Arts Act.

The Congressional App Challenge is an annual event organized by the U.S. House of Representatives that encourages students towards careers in STEM fields. Since its start in 2015, it has grown into a significant student computer science competition nationwide. The 2024 challenge saw participation from 12,682 students submitting a total of 3,881 original applications from various districts across America.