A Land O’ Lakes student is being recognized after winning a national contest for coding.

  • Nikhil Dutt, 17, started coding two months ago
  • Dutt designed an app to help students stay organized
  • The design won a national contest for his school district

Seventeen-year-old Nikhil Dutt is a senior at Land O’ Lakes High School. He says he started coding just two months ago.

When he learned about the Congressional App Challenge, a national contest, he decided to give it a try. And he won the contest for Florida’s District 12.

Dutt created a desktop app called 'Student Toolbox' that helps students navigate their classes, organizes homework, and has a data base of teacher contact information for students to connect with their instructors.

“I want to change the world and the easiest way to do that, or I see the most simple way to do that -- to reach a mass audience -- is through technology," said Dutt. "And especially coding apps."

Dutt received a plaque and met Congressman Gus Bilirakis. His app will be displayed at the U.S. Capitol.

Dutt has already started working on his next project, a medical app that will assist surgeons.

The congressional app challenge was created last year by the U.S. House of Representatives to engage high school students in coding and computer science.