Raleigh, N.C. — Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) announced Kenna Zhang, a junior at Cary Academy, as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge for North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District. Kenna created the app AIPowered-Hope, which stood out among a record number of submissions in this year's competition, showcasing the incredible talent and creativity of students across Wake County.

“Every year, I am inspired by the talent, ingenuity, and passion for creating positive change that I see from Wake County’s students during the Congressional App Challenge,” said Congresswoman Ross. “I am amazed by how these young minds use technology to tackle real-world issues and imagine bold solutions to some of our most pressing challenges – from climate change to devastating diseases. I especially want to congratulate Kenna Zhang, this year’s winner, for her innovative app designed to improve early detection of Parkinson’s Disease. Kenna’s app and the submissions of every student exemplify the kind of forward-thinking ideas that will propel our state and country to new heights.” 

Kenna developed AIPowered-Hope, an app that uses AI and machine learning to assist with the early diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. She personally coded the app’s machine learning algorithms, enabling it to analyze drawing samples and voice recordings to identify early signs of the disease. Inspired by the potential to improve early diagnosis and enable timely interventions, Kenna created AIPowered-Hope to enhance the quality of life for individuals at risk of Parkinson’s. She also embraced the challenge as an opportunity to deepen her skills and knowledge in app development.

The competition was judged by a panel of three leading STEM educators and employers from North Carolina’s 2nd District:

• Dr. Nehemiah Mabry, PE, Founder and CEO, STEMedia Incorporated

• Angela Martin, Software User Experience Designer, Lenovo

• Mallory Schultz, Advisory Software User Experience Designer, Lenovo

Established by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2013, the Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition for middle school and high school students designed to expose students to the world of app development without requiring prior coding experience. Each participating congressional district selects a local winner who then competes with winners from other participating districts for further awards.