LT. GOVERNOR BYSIEWICZ RECOGNIZES & CELEBRATES SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 6th ANNUAL COMPUTING CHALLENGE

Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz applauds the 30 submissions highlighted as part of the Lt. Governor's 6th Annual Computing Challenge, “Coding for Good” presented this year by Amazon. This year’s challenge asked Connecticut students in grades 3 through 12 to create applications designed to inspire health and wellness for all, and submit their designs through one of three options: concept, prototype, or development.

 

"The Lt. Governor’s Annual Computing Challenge was born out of the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls Education & STEAM Subcommittee with the goal to encourage educational advancement for women and girls in STEAM areas of science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. Computer Science education, especially at an early age, allows our students the opportunity to be curious and engaged in the possibility of their future,” said Lt. Governor Bysiewicz. “Each year, the challenge brings me a lot of joy to see such excellent work from our very talented and smart students from across the state and to have the ability to highlight just a small snapshot of the incredible talent our young people and educators have.”

 

Made possible by the support and participation of various sponsors, 48 selected students, representing 13 different districts across the state, were able to showcase their challenge projects at an in-person recognition event hosted by the Quinnipiac School of Computing and Engineering.

 

“We are incredibly proud to host this celebration of innovation and creativity,” said Taskin Kocak, Dean of the Quinnipiac School of Computing & Engineering. “The Lt. Governor’s Computing Challenge showcases the tremendous talent of Connecticut’s students and reflects the importance of fostering computer science education at all grade levels. At Quinnipiac, we are committed to supporting the next generation of problem solvers, creators, and change-makers.”

 

Lt. Governor Bysiewicz, Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) Deputy Commissioner Charles Hewes, Kate Maloney, Infosys Foundation USA Executive Director, and Jerome Smith, Amazon's head of Community Engagement for New England,attended the recognition event, along with representatives of corporate and philanthropic sponsors to congratulate the students and learn more about the inspiration and design of their projects.

 

“The Lt. Governor’s Computing Challenge continues to be an inspiring opportunity for students across our state to collaborate and explore the power of computer science,” said Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker. “Through this Computing Challenge, students deepen their ability to bring new ideas and solutions to real world challenges through technology and gain access to a Universe of Opportunities where they can develop the critical skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world.”

 

“It’s wonderful to see how the Computing Challenge has grown since first being introduced to students and teachers six years ago,” stated OHE Commissioner Timothy D. Larson, Tri-Chair of the COWAG Education and STEAM Subcommittee. “Even more exciting is the growing number of females who submit entries each year. Encouraging young women and girls to stay interested in STEM education and technology throughout high school and into college goes a long way toward increasing the number of women working in those very fields as adults.”

 

"At Amazon, we're honored to support innovative programs like this year's Computing Challenge that create pathways for Connecticut students of all backgrounds to explore STEM education," said Jerome Smith, Amazon's head of Community Engagement for New England. "By investing in these young minds today, we're helping to nurture tomorrow's innovators and problem-solvers who will shape the future right here in Connecticut."

 

“For the sixth consecutive year, Infosys Foundation USA proudly supports the Connecticut Lt. Governor’s Computing Challenge as the Professional Development Benefactor. In this record setting year, we are honored to recognize and showcase the achievements of newly participating schools and organizations, your students have amazed us yet again!”, said Kate Maloney, Executive Director of Infosys Foundation USA. “I’d also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Infosys employees who volunteered to serve as judges for the student submissions. The creativity and problem-solving skills demonstrated in this year’s submissions are a testament to the potential of Connecticut’s students. We are honored to co-sponsor this dynamic challenge led by Lt. Governor Bysiewicz and supported by the committed CT educators whose dedication drives this movement forward, we look forward to continuing our work to empower the next generation of leaders in Connecticut and beyond.”

 

The 2024-25 school year was the sixth successive year the computing challenge was held. More than 569 projects were submitted, emphasizing the drive, creativity and ingenuity of Connecticut’s students.

 

One of the priorities of the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls, co-chaired by the Lt. Governor, has been to inspire female students to develop an interest in technology through expanding STEM education among women and girls. The Council is proud to acknowledge that out of the 30 recognized submissions, 22 were from young women and girls or from teams that included young women and girls.

 

The recognized submissions were as follows:

 

Grades 3-5:

 

Grades 6-8:

 

Grades 9-12:

Grades 3-5:

 

Grades 6-8:

Grades 9-12:

 

Grades 6-8:

 

Grades 9-12:

 

The submissions denoted with an * received special recognition. This would not have been possible without the support of ACCESS Educational Services, CT Science Center, CT STEM Academy, Little Scientists, Milestone C, Mystic Aquarium, New Britain ROOTS, and Ozobot.

 

The Jackson Laboratories Achievement Award were given to the following submissions:

For more information on the Challenge, visit https://www.ltgovcc.org/.