Malliotakis Announces Tottenville High School Students Win 2021 Congressional App Challenge
(WASHINGTON, DC) - Today Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) announced Sabrina Trestin and Sofia Toropova, students at Tottenville High School, are the winners of the 2021 Congressional App Challenge for New York's 11th Congressional District for developing the Advocating for Animals app.
Advocating for Animals is a game that teaches users the effects of human actions on the environment, and is intended to bring awareness to animals and their habitats. The app specifically focuses on the impact deforestation has on animals in the wilderness, and how ocean pollution impacts marine life.
"I was proud to congratulate Sabrina and Sofia for winning this year's Congressional App Challenge," Malliotakis said. "Animal advocacy, along with keeping our parks and beaches clean, has always been a priority of mine, and the Advocating for Animals app provides users with a unique way to learn more about how their actions directly impact some of our most vulnerable populations. Sabrina and Sofia are extremely talented students who are well-deserving of this honor."
"We are so proud of Tottenville High School students, Sabrina Trestin and Sofia Toropova, for Winning the 2021 Congressional App Challenge, Ms. Battista, Principal of Tottenville Highschool said. "Sofia and Sabrina said they wanted to create a program that would have a positive social impact and it was their motivation for their app, "Advocating for Animals," which emphasizes the interconnected relationship between humans, animals, and the environment. They coded a game in which players have a choice of two mini-games: planting trees or cleaning the ocean. We are thrilled that Sabrina and Sofia intend to study Computer Science in college next year. We are excited to see where their passion and talent will take them in the future."
Malliotakis, who over the years has hosted litter cleanups across Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn, introduced the Urban Forests Act of 2021, bipartisan legislation that promotes the creation, enhancement, and upkeep of urban forests. Urban forests provide a number of benefits to communities, including carbon sequestration, a reduction in air pollution and noise, conservation of energy for homeowners, habitation for animals, and creation of forestry and manufacturing jobs.
The Advocating for Animals app was coded using block code on SNAP!, and will be displayed in the Capitol Building, along with the House.Gov and Congressional App Challenge's website for one year. The Congressional App Challenge is an annual nationwide competition sponsored by the Internet Education Foundation to inspire students to explore STEM, coding, and computer science through hands-on practice.