Following great interest for the 2014 House Student App Challenge, U.S. Representative Rick Crawford (AR-1)—in partnership with Arkansas State University (ASU)—has prepared a free app workshop March 13 at ASU’s campus in Jonesboro.

The workshop—scheduled for 10 a.m. in the Cache River room on the third floor of ASU’s Student Union—includes app lectures and hands-on training for the Android department of mobile app development.

Congressman Crawford said interested students have a chance to gain or hone valuable programming skills at this event.

“The app ecosystem has exploded within the past decade,” Crawford said. “Our First District students need software engineering education to keep pace with the rest of the world. This workshop and accompanying challenge present them that opportunity.”

Workshop lectures will begin at 10 a.m., ending at 11:30 a.m. for an hour lunch break, followed by an hour of hands-on training beginning at 12:30 p.m. Students should bring any Android devices they have, but attendance is limited to the first 40 participants who email RSVP to Crawford’s STEM coordinator Rebekah Bryant at Rebekah.Bryant@mail.house.gov.

Attendance will be awarded on a “first-come, first-serve” basis, and educators or parents may register as many students as appropriate. Any student qualified to enter the contest may attend the workshop, regardless of interest or involvement in the challenge.

The House Student App Challenge promotes Computer Science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education by recognizing and incentivizing young programming talent.
To enter, students 13 years or older must submit apps by creating an account at www.challengepost.com and posting its source code there. Next, they must register for the House Student App Contest at studentappchallenge.house.gov under their participating member of Congress’ profile. In addition, each entry must include a link to an Application Demonstration Video, which explains and outlines the app. Students may post these videos to YouTube or VIMEO, and videos should demonstrate the apps’ scope and quality in less than two minutes.
Competition judges will score apps based on idea, implementation and impact.

For contest or workshop information, participants may contact Congressman Crawford’s office at (870) 203-0540.