By GREGG MONTGOMERY
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
In these days of diseases seemingly appearing suddenly from virtually nowhere, it’s good to know where to find a clean public restroom when you need it.
U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz appears to agree.
The Republican from Noblesville on Monday honored a Carmel High School student as the 5th congressional district award winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge.
Jasper Zhu and his teammate, Jackie Wei of California, are creating the app I Pooped There. The app, when released, will allow people to rate restrooms and share reviews with others.
In a YouTube presentation, Zhu and Wei noted, “Poorly maintained bathrooms can increase the likelihood of users contracting diseases, and some bathrooms may not have diaper-changing stations, which is problematic for mothers traveling with babies.”
Users also can upload an image from the restroom they’re putting into the public app. For those technical folks, the team used HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create the web-based app.
I Pooped There won’t be the first app to find or rate public restrooms. When completed, it’ll join the apps SitOrSquat, Where to Wee, Flush, and Bathroom Scout.
Zhu said in the YouTube presentation, “While this is a somewhat comedic idea, this is a very relevant issue.”
In a news release, Spartz did not comment on the purpose of the Carmel High School student’s app but noted she’s glad schools are producing bright minds.
“It’s always a pleasure seeing fun and innovative ideas and solutions from our Hoosier youth,” Rep. Spartz said. “Computer science skills play a critical role in the 21st-century economy, and I am proud that IN-05 schools are producing some of our nation’s brightest minds.”
Zhu and other entrants will be invited to the Congressional App Challenge’s House of Code winners’ reception in the spring on Capitol Hill, the release said.