National Computer Science Education Week is this week and we will be participating in a number of events in the area. We are also proud to feature local computer science students as guest bloggers right here on the Microsoft New England blog. Each of these students are an inspiration, touting their STEM skills and dedication in our local schools.
— Kolleen Lambert, Business Program Manager, Technology and Civic Engagement and Aimee Sprung, Civic Engagement Manager — Microsoft New England
School: Advanced Math and Science Academy
Grade: 12th
CS Teacher: Mrs. Bandaru
I first became interested in computers at a very young age, as I was completely fascinated by my father’s desktop computer. I would spend hours playing around with it and discovering all of its various functions. When I entered 6th grade, Computer Science was a required course, so I got to develop my knowledge of it even more. This class opened my eyes to the possibilities within computer science and inspired me to become more and more engaged in the subject as I grew older.
My favorite part about Computer Science class is the problem solving it often entails. When assigned a question to answer or a result to produce with code, I am required to think outside the box and approach the assignment with different perspectives and potential solutions. I love this challenging process of figuring out what could work and what wouldn’t and why.
My computer science mentor is Mrs. Bandaru. I had her as a teacher in 6th grade when I was learning the absolute basics of computer science and when I realized that this was a topic I was extremely interested in. I then had her again in 11th grade as I took Advanced Placement Computer Science, delved deeper into the field, and confirmed that this was the area of study I wanted to pursue as a career. This year, I have her again in Cyber Security and Cryptology, where I am discovering a whole new aspect of the computer science world and truly grasping the vastness of computer science and the capabilities that I have as a coder.
One of the coolest things I’ve ever made is the website for my soccer team. I created it in Advanced Web Design using CSS, and it was really cool. I got to code the format and style of everything. This gave me opportunity to be creative and unique in my design, producing an end result that was both sleek and fun.
Computer Science is definitely my favorite subject in school. I enjoy its brain-challenging nature that makes one think logically and creatively. I love how there are so many ways one can create, build and impact in this field and I hope to do all three in the future.
Looking for more coding opportunities? Find more coding tools and resources for students, parents, and educators at microsoft.com/hourofcode.