Students from across the West San Gabriel Valley earned national recognition last week as Rep. Judy Chu announced the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge, highlighting youth innovation in computer science and real-world problem solving.
The announcement was made Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Pasadena by Judy Chu. The annual competition, hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives, invites middle and high school students to design original software applications while building skills in science, technology, engineering, and math.
This year’s challenge drew 52 app submissions from students throughout the district, reflecting growing interest in coding and applied technology among local youth.
First Place App Focuses On Wildfire Safety
First place honors went to Anika Jha, a student at Arcadia High School, for her app “Fire Up.” The application uses artificial intelligence to support wildfire prediction, detection, risk assessment, and evacuation planning through a single platform.
Jha developed the app after her family nearly faced evacuation during the January 2025 wildfires. Fire Up integrates data from NASA, NOAA, and CalFire and displays it on an interactive map with localized alerts. The app also allows families, schools, and communities to connect low-cost hardware sensors to detect fire and smoke early.
An evacuation planner within the app recommends safer routes by avoiding active danger zones, helping residents and first responders make faster decisions during emergencies.
Recognition Of STEM Education
In a statement, Chu praised the students for addressing real-world challenges through technology.
“I was thrilled to host my seventh annual Congressional App Challenge Competition and highlight the increasing importance of STEM education in our country,” Chu said. “All our submissions came from talented young coders who worked collaboratively to fix problems facing the world.”
She added that coding and programming skills help prepare students for future careers while strengthening the nation’s technological leadership.
Winners And Honorees Announced
Second place was awarded to “SCREAM++” by Tony Kan, followed by “EyeMAX” by Drexel Ngo, Alina Ramos, Evan Lau, and Athicha Chanpradub in third place. Fourth place went to “No Nurdles” by Bernice Deng, and fifth place to “Chorify” by Chenxi Huang.
Honorable mentions were given to SeeSomething AI, MyMelody, PathGuard, MediHelp, and EcoQuest, representing a wide range of applications focused on safety, health, music, and environmental awareness.
Entries were evaluated by a panel of judges from the California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Motiv Space Systems. Judges considered purpose, technical skill, creativity, design, and overall concept.
Lasting Impact For Local Students
As the first-place winner, Fire Up will be displayed on the Congressional App Challenge website and featured on a digital display inside the U.S. Capitol.
