Barbe High student is winner of Congressional App Challenge
Published 11:16 am Tuesday, December 19, 2023
- Barbe High School, 2200 W McNeese St.
Barbe High School student Lily (Gyeongyun) Min has created an app to mitigate unintentional food waste by helping its users keep track of their groceries’ expiration dates.
The app “Freshmate” was created for the 2023 Congressional App Challenge, and earned her the title of overall winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for Louisiana’s 3rd District.
The Congressional App Challenge is hosted annually by the U.S. House of Representatives to encourage middle and high school students to learn to code and one day pursue careers in computer science. This challenge was created through House Resolution 77 – Academic Competition Resolution of 2013 – an effort by the U.S. House of Representative and the Internet Education Foundation to nurture an interest in computer science and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) in young Americans.
The first challenge was launched in 2015, and since then over 40,000 students representing all 50 states have participated.
Each app challenge is specific to each congressional district. Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins congratulated her in a statement, admiring her ingenuity.
“Lily used her artistic and creative talent to create a user-friendly app interface that helps individuals of every age keep track of the food in their kitchen.
In times of economic uncertainty, apps like this can help families save money and time sorting through their refrigerators and pantries. This year saw some high levels of competition and was a tough choice for our judges.”
Min’s inspiration for the app stemmed after she noticed that food products she purchased would expire before she could use them. In a statement, she said she was inspired to embark on the journey of creating “Freshmate” by a “love for exploring new food and a commitment to reducing food waste.”
“Witnessing the impact of food waste on both the environment and our wallets, I aimed to develop a solution that not only organizes our kitchens but also contributes to a more sustainable and economical lifestyle. Freshmate is a reflection of my passion for innovation and my belief in the power of technology to address real-world challenges.”
Calcasieu Parish School Board Superintendent Shannon LaFargue told The American Press that Min’s achievement is just one example of the real-world impact that CPSB students can make.
“We are incredibly proud of Lily and her representation not only of Barbe High, but of our district. Our students are innovative, creative and brilliant. Lily is a perfect example of this and we applaud her forward-thinking mindset and her ability to create something so beneficial to consumers.”
