COATESVILLE, PA — This week, Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) visited Coatesville Area Senior High School to meet with students on the Raiderbots and Raiderbots Squared robotics teams and students participating in the SIFMA Foundation's Capitol Hill Challenge, which focuses on personal finance and economics.  

Houlahan spent time learning more about the robotics teams, driving the robots, and presented both teams with a special Congressional recognition for their work competing at the state championships. Afterward, Houlahan met with SIFMA Foundation's Capitol Hill Challenge participants. This nationwide economic and financial knowledge competition selects a different school each year from each Congressional district. Houlahan had the opportunity to share a bit about her own entrepreneurial background leading several southeastern Pennsylvania companies, her work in fiscal policymaking, and answered students' questions. 

“It was great meeting with two high-achieving student groups this week focused on two subjects so important to our community’s long-term success," said Houlahan. "I'm so impressed by the students on Coatesville's robotics team for being so innovative and competing in the state championship — I loved seeing their work in action today! I was also impressed by the students who are participating in the SIFMA Capitol Hill Challenge and their dedication to financial literacy, an essential life skill. Coatesville has so much to be proud of, and these two groups are testaments to all the bright things coming out of our community." 

 

“Financial literacy such an important part of our high school programs, and we are truly honored to have Representative Houlahan visit with our students. every student, regardless of what they choose to do after high school – will need to understand personal finances. We have worked to develop creative ways to engage our students in this important learning,” said Brian Chenger, Principal at Coatesville High School. 

“I thought the Congresswoman coming was inspiring to the students. They were so impressed that someone that important came to visit them and acknowledged their accomplishments,” said Andy Moscarelli, Coach of the Raiderbots and Raiderbots Squared. “It was an awesome morning; the kids worked hard all year — truly, they put in 400 hours of work from September to now. They really got a lot out of the visit, and it will really inspire them going into next year. People won’t realize how inspired these students will get from that.” 

Houlahan had the opportunity to test drive Raiderbots and Raiderbots Squared’s robots.  

Houlahan has made STEM a priority her work in both Washington and southeastern Pennsylvania since she joined Congress. This Congress, Houlahan re-introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act that aims to improve K-12 STEM education and is a co-chair and co-founder of the bipartisan Women in STEM Caucus.   

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She represents Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She is the recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award which “recognizes members who demonstrate the bipartisan leadership and constructive governing necessary to move our country forward” and the Congressional Management Foundation’s 2022 Democracy Award for best Constituent Services in Congress. 

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