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Congresswoman Escobar and 2021 Congressional App Challenge Winner Lisa Rondeau

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) announced the winner of the 2021 Congressional App Challenge: Harmony School of Science student Lisa Rondeau, who won with the submission of the application My ADLE.

My ADLE, which stands for My Activities in Daily Life & Emergencies, helps seniors who have been struggling with stress and isolation throughout the pandemic. The app connects seniors with vital community resources in El Paso, including food distribution, transportation, shelter, medical care, social activities and events, and emergency information.

“Congratulations to Lisa Rondeau from Harmony School of Science. Through her winning app, she has demonstrated her talent and commitment to ensure El Paso’s seniors have the information and support they need to cope and be resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “I am amazed by Lisa and all of the talented coders in our community who have created innovative apps to deal with everyday problems. I also extend my sincerest gratitude to everyone who made this possible, from the judges to the educators and supportive family members.”

The office of Congresswoman Escobar received a total of 18 submissions from across four middle and high schools within Texas’ 16^th Congressional District.

This year’s judges were Jonathan Childress from Microsoft, Nadia Karichev from the El Paso Community College (EPCC), Eduardo Seyffert from Blue Origin, and 2020 Congressional App Challenge Winner Jie Chen.

Below are the full results of the 2021 Congressional App Challenge:

• 1^st Place: My ADLE by Lisa Rondeau. 6^thGrade, Harmony School of Science
• 2^nd Place: Fitness Planner by Christian Dees. 11^th Grade, Northwest Early College High School
• 3^rd Place: Helping the World by Oscar Parada. 6^th Grade, Parkland Pre-Engineering Middle School
• Honorable Mention: I’m the New Kid by Aurora Shindo and Azra Rios-Carroll. 8^th Grade, Parkland Pre-Engineering Middle School

Lisa Rondeau, alongside other participants, will be recognized in 2022 during a reception hosted by Congresswoman Escobar’s office and her app will be showcased to Congress and the broader tech community during the #HouseOfCode Festival in the spring of 2022.

Officially launched by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015, the Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition that encourages middle and high school students to learn how to code by creating their own applications. The App Challenge is intended to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education. 

More information on the Congressional App Challenge can be found here.