WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Dean Phillips congratulated Eden Prairie Sophomore Ananya Murugavel for winning the 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Minnesota’s Third District. Ananya’s app, Act1on 4 Chang3, makes it easier for students to track their volunteer hours.

The Congressional App Challenge was launched by the House of Representatives in 2015 to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. A panel of expert judges reviewed entries from middle and high school students in Minnesota’s Third District, selecting Ananya’s app as the winner for 2023. Act1on 4 Chang3 will be hosted on the Congressional App Challenge website, featured in a display in the U.S. Capitol, and Ananya will be honored at the national #HouseOfCode reception in Washington, D.C.

“Once again, I’m impressed by the passion, energy, and talent of our students,” said Rep. Dean Phillips. “Now more than ever, we need to create opportunities to show young people that their skills can make a difference. Public service is a cornerstone of our democracy, and I’m thrilled to see students like Ananya using their talents to give back to the community we call home!”

 Rep. Phillips had the opportunity to learn more about Ananya’s app and her future plans, including:

Q: Can you tell us more about yourself, your family, your interests, and life's path?

A: My name is Ananya Murugavel and I am a sophomore at Eagle Ridge Academy. I live in Eden Prairie with my mother and my father. My father is a software engineer working as a consultant  for Express Scripts in Edina and my mother is a food assistant in the Eden Prairie School District. I love to read and code. I have been coding since I was in sixth grade and learn something new every time I code. I love to read because it lets me be creative and imagine pictures in my mind. As well as coding and reading,  I love to volunteer at my community's school and my local library. I am in my school’s debate team and in our National Honor Society. Looking ahead, I aspire to be a software engineer and use my creativity to advance the world in addition to making it more effective and easier for society to grow. I aim to attend a reputable university and acquire a versatile knowledge about different software languages and use them to create new innovations. Overall, I want to use my knowledge to give my best to my community and the people around me.

Q: What inspired your app?

A: Volunteering is a big part of society and helping others around you. I believe in the power of community and the positive impacts volunteering can have on an individual. As a member of this district, I feel entitled to contribute to the well-being of society. It is crucial for an individual’s personal and professional growth. One of the biggest reasons why student’s volunteer is to portray your leadership skills as well as gaining valuable experience to help their college application. For students who volunteer a lot, it can be hard to keep track of these hours. When I volunteer in the summer, I do it for a variety of different programs. It is very hard for me to keep track of all the hours I did in one place. I spoke out about this problem I was having to my close friends who told me that they struggled with this too. This inspired me to make this app to not only help people keep track of their volunteer activities and hours but to also encourage students to volunteer. I have been inspired by outstanding efforts from numerous organizations and individuals making a difference in many problems around the country and I wanted to advance that by making a volunteer’s life easier.

Q: What goals do you have for your education and career?

A: Throughout my academic journey, I hope to grow as a computer programmer and incorporate more of my own creativity through my programs. I want to achieve things like go to a prestigious university and gain hands-on experience through valuable opportunities. My long term aspiration is to gain a leadership role while also using my coding knowledge to do good in the world. I want to learn more about the world and how my place fits in it. 

###