APS Students Test STEM Skills In First Programming Competition

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington Tech, Governor's STEM Academy Computer Science program and the Arlington Career Center hosted APS HSPC, the first programming competition for middle and high school students in Arlington Public Schools.

Arlington Tech student Sheel Shah, and Yorktown students Brayden Zee and Nate Levin, all of whom have participated in the Arlington Career Center CTE IT pathway, organized the event, which took place on Jan. 25 at the Arlington Career Center.

Sixty students participated in the competition, which featured computer programming challenges. The students solved the challenges by using the programming languages Python, Java or C++, all of which they learned via. Arlington Tech Computer Science pathways. The competition was designed to challenge and inspire the next generation of coders and problem solvers.

“When I was in middle school, I knew a lot about computer science,” said Shah, an Arlington Tech, Governor’s STEM Academy senior. “I looked for activities and took a class but didn’t learn anything because it was more of what I’d already learned – I sat in class bored. That was one reason I came to Arlington Tech. If I already knew material, I was given the opportunity to participate in internships or projects that pushed me further. That was our aim for this event."

APS provided the following information about Arlington Tech’s Computer Science pathway program:

Arlington Tech’s Computer Science pathway provides students with a route to industry certifications and meaningful real-world applications. Jeff Elkner has worked to align Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) coursework, APS coursework, and certification requirements to ensure students graduate with both academic knowledge and job-ready skills. This year, Chris Jones joined the Arlington Career Center team to add a clear pathway in web design. Alice Gallegher rounds out the CS/IT department by teaching cybersecurity.

Students enrolled in the Arlington Career Center's Computer Science and Web Development programs gain hands-on experience with HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, SQL, Python, Assembly, C, and C++. Certifications such as the PCEP (Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer), CPE (C++ Certified Entry-Level Programmer), and WDE (Certified Entry-Level Web Developer) are available to students, preparing them for careers in technology.

Arlington Tech students can earn an Associate Degree in Computer Science. It has been the leading A.S. degree Arlington Tech students have earned since its establishment, with over 20 students earning AS in CS since the program’s first graduating class in Spring of 2021.

Students who participate in the IT Pathway continuously use their technical skills to make a difference. Last year, a team of students presented at PyCon, the prestigious Python Conference, showcasing an app designed to aid the Mars Rover. This year, students are developing a scheduling platform for the Arlington Career Center Cosmetology and Culinary programs, while another team is working on a website to support the distribution of designs for home built clean cooking stoves to reduce carbon monoxide poisoning of women and children in rural areas of developing countries. If accepted, this project will be presented at PyCon this year.

The APS computer science competition designed by the Arlington Tech and Yorktown students provides a unique opportunity for APS students to put their skills to the test, and explore the possibilities within the field of Computer Science. Whether students are new to coding or experienced programmers, the event welcomed all participants eager to challenge themselves and grow their problem-solving abilities.

Jeff Elkner, a Computer Science teacher at the Arlington Career Center, celebrated the student-led competition, sharing, “I was pretty much blown away by the job that Nate, Sheel, and Brayden did with the programming contest Saturday. I've been to a lot of these contests over the years, and don't think I've ever seen one run better run than this.”

Chris Jones, an IT teacher at the Arlington Career Center, emphasized the importance of student leadership in making this event a success: “This event showcases the potential of a program that puts students in the lead. Students showed off their interest, and they brought it to the community. I honestly think if it were teacher-led, I don’t think it would have been as good. The students had a passion and knew what they wanted. I think that’s the kind of culture we are trying to cultivate in our program.”

For more information about the STEM pathways available at Arlington Tech and the Arlington Career Center visit: arlingtontech.apsva.us/stem-pathways