Aragon alumni Nathanael Horton held a computer programming workshop called theCoderSchool to introduce students to the world of programming on Nov. 3. Although this was an organized Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) event, students from all academic backgrounds were welcomed to attend.
Horton shares the reason why he comes back to the Aragon community to share his knowledge on computer science. He says, “We [at theCoderSchool] teach Snap and Python, two computer programming languages, and reach out to various high schools, including one where we just went recently, which is a school with disabilities. We have been doing the outreach program to high school students for 10 months now, and … I want to come back to provide support for anyone interested in computer science.”
Horton adds, “In fact, Kossiver was my Pre-Calculus teacher when I was in Aragon.”
English teacher Tiffany Wang, the GATE coordinator and organizer of this event, believes that theCoderSchool has many benefits to serve as a guidance to anyone interested in pursuing the path of computer science. She says, “I want students to understand that there is a resource out there for them, for anyone who is interested in taking computer science. It is a burgeoning feeling that computer science is now being introduced in high schools and schools across the community. In fact, we have just started an introduction to computer science class as well as an AP Computer Science class. Computer science is definitely the future of technology and the world.”
Wang was astonished and inspired at the number of female students who attended the computer science workshop. She says, “20 students attended the workshop and half of them were women, so it was really exciting to see them participate. I would like to emphasize on this because there is a lack of women representation from women in the technology industry. I believe that there should be a huge push for women to aspire in technical and computer science software development. More women should consider about taking software programming and computer science as their major.”
Math and Computer Science teacher Lisa Kossiver hoped her own AP Computer Science students used the workshop to realize that computer science is much more than a letter grade. She says, “This event should [have encouraged] students that coding is doable and accessible … The pressures and the stress of the AP class [tend to] take away all the fun in coding.”
Senior Tony Wang, who has experience in coding, attended the workshop and was impressed by Horton’s demonstration. He says, “As an experienced programmer, I understand most of the concepts taught during his demonstration. His demonstration and presentation [was] built towards an audience with little or few computer science experience. However, he was really captivating, engaging, and informative and really got his message across about pursuing computer science.”
Sophomore Siddarth Banik was impressed by theCoderSchool and considers computer science as a possible career option. He says, “I would like to major in the field of computers when I graduate. This class helped me meet some people that have majored in computer science [and] connect to people who has the same common passion and goals [as I do]. Horton taught me so much from the little time space that he had. It is honestly exhilarating to be surrounded in close proximity to someone who graduated from the same school as me and achieved far greater things after high school.”
Kossiver describes why she loves the world of computer science and how that is relative to her own lifestyle. She says, “I love the game and the puzzles involved in computer science. Anyone can code, and the idea that if I code something, and the computer will produce what you wrote down is extremely remarkable. I also love the problem-solving and deep thinking involved in computer science.”
Horton concludes, “I want to show the students about the basics of computer science and introduce them to the world of it. I also want to show that computer science is accessible and possible … Computer science has opened up avenues and I wanted to show the practical teaching behind it. Computer science is revolutionary, and I hope students will understand that computer science may be a step towards the future.”
