Rep. Mike Flood, U.S. Representative for Nebraska's 1st District | Official U.S. House headshot
Rep. Mike Flood, U.S. Representative for Nebraska's 1st District | Official U.S. House headshot
U.S. Congressman Mike Flood has announced the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge for Nebraska’s First Congressional District. The co-winners are Kyle Van Sant and Leo Geck, students from Papillion La Vista High School.
Their app, Volunteering Opportunities of Nebraska (VON), is designed to assist students in logging, accessing, and discovering volunteer opportunities with local organizations. The creators aim to enhance community engagement and encourage student involvement through their application.
Congressman Flood commented on the achievement: “Volunteer activities help lay the foundation for connecting the next generation of Nebraskans to their communities and getting them civically engaged. Kyle and Leo’s app is not only impressive but also a great example of how Nebraska has become known as the ‘Silicon Prairie.’ I want to congratulate them and thank everyone who participated in the Congressional App Challenge. I look forward to seeing future innovations from Kyle and Leo.”
Kyle Van Sant expressed his appreciation for the opportunity provided by the challenge: “The Congressional App Challenge was an incredible opportunity for me to learn about programming and engineering while creating something that can contribute to my community.”
Leo Geck added insights into his experience: “As an aspiring engineer seeking to make the world a better place, this experience showed me how the engineering process works and will guide me throughout college and my professional career.”
A review committee member praised VON's impact: “This app expands student volunteering opportunities, simplifies tracking hours, and encourages community involvement. Kyle and Leo have done an exceptional job creating something with immediate impact. It’s inspiring to see young people applying creativity and innovation for the benefit of their peers.”
The submission was evaluated by professionals from Nebraska's First Congressional District working in start-ups and digital fields. Applications submitted through this contest are typically not immediately available commercially.
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