Rachel Décoste, a software engineer and STEM advocate, will lead the third annual Congressional App Challenge on July 26.
Décoste joins the Internet Education Foundation, the CAC’s official coordinator, as director of the project. The CAC is a congressional initiative aimed at encouraging student engagement in coding and computer science through app contests hosted by members of Congress in their districts.
“The Congressional App Challenge is the largest series of student coding competitions in the world,” Tim Lordan, executive director of the Internet Education Foundation, said in a statement. “Rachel is an accomplished computer scientist and an inspirational leader. We expect her to push the contest to new heights.”
Décoste is a self-taught coder. She learned computer programming using a library book as guide. She started with a small app simulating a math quiz for her little sister. A decade later, Décoste was coding air traffic control systems for the Federal Aviation Agency.
“I’m excited to join a team of people who are passionate about increasing STEM among America’s youth and connecting the U.S. Congress with their local tech communities,” Décoste said in a statement. “Learning to code as a teenager opened the door to a fantastic career for me. I hope the Congressional App Challenge will be a catalyst for the next generation of tech leaders.”
In the first two years, the program held 239 challenges across 33 states. More than 1,150 apps were created by nearly 4,000 students, and participant demographics surpassed all industry diversity metrics, with young women representing 30 percent of all competitors. This year, the CAC initiative aims to reach even more constituents.
Twitter: @Bernie_HITN
Email the writer: bernie.monegain@himssmedia.com
