Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) at an Event in Portland Several Years Ago.

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) announced the winner of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for her district:  Gorham High school student Isaiah Whitehead.  Isaiah’s app “Calculation Salvation” is an arithmetic tool designed for people of all ages to practice their math skills – ideal for brain exercises and boosting overll cognitive function.

“The Congressional App Challenge is proof of the talent and creativity in classrooms across Maine.  Every student who submitted an entry took an idea from concept to code and that is no small feat,” said Pingree.  “Isaiah’s app rises to the top because it’s practical intuitive and genuinely useful.  Calcuation Salvation gives people of all ages a fun way to strengthen their math skills and build confidence.  Isaiah should be incredibly proud of this achievement.  Congratulations to him and to every student who stepped up to compete this year.”

“I created Calculation Salvation to provide a system thatd sharpens the mind through arithmetic in a way that is both simple and intuitive, as well as practical and multifunctional,” Isaiah said.

In his application, Isaiah said he was inspired to create this app because many brain, and particularly math-based, exercise techniques aren’t easy to use, which he prioritized in his app.  “Despite adding six expandable district game modes to play, I focused on making sure the user experience was straightforward and invisting to actually use,” he said.

The Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition created in 2013 by leaders in the US House of Representtives and at the Internet Education Foundation who sought to foster an appreciation for computer science and STEM.  The Congressional App Challenge seeks to encourage middle and high school students to pursue careers in tech through a nationwide coding challenge.

Every year, Members of Congress challenge students in their districts to create and submit their original apps for a chance to win the competition.  Winning apps from each district will be displayed and recognized at an event in Washington, DC this spring.