GREAT FALLS — Code Girls United announced this week that its students have won the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for both of Montana’s Congressional Districts.
Both of the winning teams created apps during Code Girls United’s students after-school program.
In Montana’s First District, U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke named the following winners: Aiyahna Green, Kalani Sun Rhodes, and Keesha Guerrero-Gobert from Browning. Their app 'Sspommo', which means 'help' in traditional Blackfeet language, was designed to provide mental health resources and awareness while creating a supportive community. They were inspired to create 'Sspommo' after observing the prevalence of depression and other mental health concerns in their community.
In Montana’s Second District, U.S. Representative Troy Downing has named Lily Kirkaldie, Charlie Kotthoff and Danica Sabo of Great Falls Starbase as winners. Their app ‘Cursive Create’ helps to teach cursive writing. The team felt that this was an important initiative since cursive is no longer being taught in public school.
The Congressional App Challenge enables middle and high school students to showcase their skills nationwide by creating and exhibiting their software applications in student computer science. Winning teams get to display their apps in the U.S. Capitol Building during the National Science Fair’s ‘House of Code’.
This year’s event will be held on April 21 and 22 in Washington, DC. Both Montana teams hope to attend to represent the Treasure State.
An anonymous donor has sponsored the Browning team’s trip to Washington DC while the Great Falls team is now fundraising for their trip with the support of Code Girls.
“Seeing our afterschool teams win the Congressional App Challenge in both Montana’s District 1 and District 2 is incredibly meaningful. These opportunities matter because they show girls that their ideas, voices, and technical skills belong at the highest levels. When girls are given the space to create and compete, they rise to the challenge and then some’, says Marianne Smith, CEO of Code Girls United.
Founded in 2016, Code Girls United is a nonprofit organization providing free after-school programming for girls in grades 4 through 12 in Montana. To learn more, click here to visit the website.
