Three Belfry students recognized in DC for Congressional App Challenge

BELFRY, Ky. (WYMT) - Three students are on Capitol Hill representing Belfry High School after winning the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for Kentucky’s Fifth Congressional District.

Natalie Fite, Reese Varney and Ian Belcher were chosen out of 16 Eastern Kentucky student teams to present their app at the U.S. Capitol Building.

The app, Sm;)e, was designed to help with mental health needs in rural areas.

“In our small town, we lack mental health professionals in our area and if someone needs help, they have to travel,” said Natalie Fite, one of the team members. “With our app, they have access to hotlines that are available all the time and common steps they can take. They can also track their day and receive encouraging messages with the app.”

Submissions for the 2024 Congressional App Challenge will open up this summer.