2 Hanover middle schoolers win Congressional App Challenge

Two Hanover Central Middle School students were paid a surprised visit by U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, on Friday, as he revealed the duo were winners of a competition sponsored by Congress which promotes computer science.

The Congressional App Challenge is an annual competition for middle school and high school students to create an original app or computer program, with one winner coming from each congressional district.

Joshua Mola and Mason Burdan are the 2023 winners of the First Congressional District. The eighth-grade students worked together to create "The Dark Forest," a computer horror game.

Mola and Burdan beat out over 30 other submissions in the district.

Suzanne Demmond, a computer science teacher at the middle school, taught both students and suggested they work together on the game as part of a capstone project for the class.

According to Demmond, both boys worked together as a team with Burdan providing a lot of the creative ideas for the game, while Mola focused more on the coding.

The middle school educator, who has taught the students since fifth grade, said she was proud of both of them.

"Just to see them grow and learn more about coding and computer science and really embracing it, I couldn't be prouder," Demmond said.

Hanover schools Superintendent Mary Tracy-MacAulay commended both students for their outstanding achievement.

"Their innovative minds earned them this prestigious honor," said Tracy-MacAulay. "Their talent and commitment to excellence showcase the possibilities that emerge when creativity meets technology."

Mrvan thanked both students for competing in the challenge and suggested they take part in a cybersecurity summer camp held at Ivy Tech Valparaiso.

Also present were both students' parents, Hanover Central Middle School Principal Thomas Martin and Assistant Superintendent Phil Misecko.

Both Mola and Burdan may be invited to Washington, D.C., later this year for a reception to honor all the winners of the Congressional App Challenge.