McIver Announces “Kora” App as Winner of NJ-10 Congressional App Challenge

Washington, D.C. - Shortly before the New Year, Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (NJ-10) announced Kora as the winning app of the NJ-10 Congressional App Challenge.

Kora is an application to assist caregivers by helping autistic children communicate. The app integrates emotion recognition, interactive games, conversational AI, and community assistance.

"After a competitive judging process, we're excited to share that the winning app is Kora. The student team demonstrated not just proficiency in programming languages and coding platforms, but a shared value of using technology to improve the lives of their community," said McIver. "There were so many talented students who submitted, and I am delighted to witness what is just the start of their journey in innovation and community investment."

Kora was developed by a team of four high schoolers: Liam Casey and Joseph Pontoriero of Seton Hall Preparatory School, and Shashank Madala and Ayur Munipalli of Robbinsville High School.

"Kora equips parents and siblings with tools to understand emotional cues, foster empathy, and strengthen family bonds," said the creators of the app in their submission. "What moved us the most was seeing the change that occurs when technology unlocks connection."

The winners were chosen by a panel of expert judges, and will be featured on CongressionalAppChallenge.us. Kora will also be on display in the U.S. Capitol, honoring student app designers from across the country.

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