[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E86]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
APPLAUDING PINELLAS PARK HIGH SCHOOL FOR THREE CONGRESSIONAL APP
CHALLENGE WINS
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HON. CHARLIE CRIST
of florida
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Mr. CRIST. Madam Speaker, I am honored to congratulate the students,
teachers, and alumni of my home district's own Pinellas Park High
School for winning the 2021 Congressional App Challenge for Florida's
13th Congressional District. This will be Pinellas Park High School's
third winning submission to the Congressional App Challenge in only
five years--the most for any school in Florida's 13th District.
Since our first Congressional App Challenge in 2017, the students of
the Pinellas Park High School STEM Club have submitted highly original
and technically sophisticated apps addressing the needs of the
culturally-diverse communities I'm honored to represent. Helmed by
their dedicated STEM teacher, Lafrance ``Joe'' Clark, this club has
proven time and again the power of hands-on STEM instruction,
collaboration, and teamwork.
Over the past five years, the winning teams of Pinellas Park High
School have created apps that address a host of issues facing our
community. From large challenges like those confronting Pinellas
Veterans transitioning to civilian life, to smaller but still important
ones like the lack of accessible information on teen skincare, these
students have used technology to tackle the tough problems they see in
the world around them. This year's winning submission, Healthy Minds,
is no exception--providing a platform for teens experiencing mental
health challenges to access health providers, resources, and expert
information.
As the Representative for Florida's 13th Congressional District, I
want to congratulate our 2021 Congressional App Challenge winners--
Trudy Kwok, Jenna Nguyen, Gabriel Moreno, and Rashonda Fayson. Under
the leadership of the excellent Mr. Joe Clark, they are doing their
STEM club, school, and community proud.
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