Bacon Announces Winners of 2025 Congressional App Challenge

Washington - Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) today announced the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, a nationwide competition for students in middle and high school to explore coding, computer science, and careers in STEM fields. Established by Congress in 2014, the challenge encourages students to create, code, and implement a new and innovative computer application.

The first-place winner is Gavin Vernon, a junior at Brownell Talbot, who partnered with Michael Zhang of Colorado's 6th Congressional District to develop Youth Policy Pulse, a civic-engagement web application that empowers young people to understand and participate in the policymaking process. Vernon was presented with a certificate at Brownell Talbot on January 28, 2026 by Theresa Thibodeau, District Director for Rep. Bacon.

The students said Youth Policy Pulse was inspired by their shared belief that young people deserve a stronger voice in shaping the policies that affect their lives. As students deeply involved in youth leadership and civic initiatives, Vernon and Zhang noticed that many of their peers wanted to participate in government but didn't know where to start and wanted to change that. Youth Policy Pulse connects directly to real legislative data from Congress.gov, allowing users to browse, search, and track active bills that impact education, climate, mental health, and other youth-focused issues.

As the first-place winners, Vernon and Zhang are invited to Washington, D.C., to participate in #HouseofCode, a two-day event at the U.S. Capitol where students from across the country showcase their apps to Members of Congress, congressional staff, and leaders in the technology community.

"There is a growing need to fill high-paying jobs in STEM fields, and the Congressional App Challenge is a fun and engaging way to show students they can play a real role in shaping the future through innovation and technology," said Rep. Bacon. "Gavin and Michael's work on Youth Policy Pulse reflects both strong technical skills and a sense of civic responsibility. All of the students who entered the challenge demonstrated innovation in their ideas and a strong commitment to the task. We have some real future leaders who will make their mark in the STEM world."

About the Congressional App Challenge

The Congressional App Challenge (CAC) is an annual nationwide competition hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives to encourage middle and high school students to learn to code and pursue careers in STEM. It is considered the most prestigious prize in student computer science.

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