HHS wins app competition
By Terry Murry on Friday, December 20th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
HERMISTON – (News release from the Hermiston School District) Hermiston High School seniors Yahir Conejo-Garcia, Bryson Jeppeson, and Yael Estrada Gutierrez have been named winners of the Congressional App Challenge for Oregon’s Second District. Their app, designed to assist students and professionals in modeling and furnishing rooms, showcases innovation and teamwork.
Yahir, last year’s winner, took on a new challenge by forming a team with Bryson and Yael. Together, they learned to manage code collaboratively while overcoming technical hurdles, such as library compatibility issues and 3D modeling challenges.
“The next level of programming is working as a team,” said HHS Computer Science teacher and mentor Robert Theriault. “Yahir, Bryson, and Yael faced challenges head-on and demonstrated incredible growth.”
Inspired by a personal need for room design tools, the team created a web-based app using their knowledge of HTML and 3D modeling libraries. Despite obstacles, they successfully built a functional tool, embodying the Congressional App Challenge’s mission to inspire and innovate in STEM education.
Hermiston High School has participated in the challenge since 2016 and has won multiple times. This year’s success highlights the school district’s dedication to preparing students for future STEM opportunities.
“Working as a team to solve complex problems is a skill that goes beyond programming—it’s about preparing for the challenges of tomorrow,” said Theriault.
Photo from Hermiston School District (L-R) Robert Theriault, Bryson Jeppeson, Yael Estrada Gutierrez, and Yahir Conejo-Garcia
