The VCU College of Engineering brought the excitement to programming yet again, as the annual High School Programming Contest ended in success for students.
This past April, 23 teams of students from 13 different high schools (approximately 90 students) gathered at the College of Engineering East Hall, ready for the competition to begin.
The students had three hours to come up with solutions to 10 problems and were judged for their solution’s correctness and speed of solving. The problems ranged in topics, from highly mathematical equations to cybersecurity, with some delving into machine learning.
After a long day of programming, the winners were announced:
First place: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (team 1). The team resolved seven out of the 10 problems, with each student receiving a $100 cash prize.
Second place: Governor’s School for Science and Technology. The team resolved six out of the 10 problems, with each student receiving a $50 cash prize.
Third place: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (team 2). The team resolved five out of the 10 problems, with each student receiving a $25 cash prize.
“The VCU Engineering annual High School Programming Contest was first organized in 2004 and attracts some of the best high schools in the area and nearby states,” said Alberto Cano, Ph.D., associate professor at VCU Engineering’s Department of Computer Science. “It's a well-recognized event and it increases the visibility and awareness of VCU Computer Science among K-12 students and educators.”
The event was organized by Cano and computer science administrative assistant Hazel Ward-Germain. Cano noted the importance of Ward-Germain in the organization of the contest, without whom the event would not be possible.