Skills I have obtained

Although I have obtained many skills during my time in APCSP, the biggest/most prominent skills that I gained were coding skills. I had a little bit of python experience beforehand, and I knew how to make functions, define variables, all the baic things. But, there was a lot I lacked. Through APCSP, I learned how to create Github repositories, create a GitHub pages, and use the terminal. I learned how to create a python backend and connect to a HTML/Javascript frontend. I learned about arrays, lists, dictionaries, JSON and CSV files, libraries, and more in python. I also learned a lot about HTML, CSS, SASS, and Javascript, like creating buttons, adding ID’s to objects, changing colors, fonts, sizes, etc. On the other hand, I also gained critical skills that differed from coding. I learned how to work together in a team and collaborate with individuals. I learned to split work equally and be responsible for my role. I also realized the importance of effective communication and how crucial it is for team members to keep in touch.

Highs and Lows from year

There were many highs from this year, along with a few lows. Generally, the highs came from working with a team to accomplist a goal and create a prideworthy project. I enjoyed working on code, perfecting it, and watching my work show through the project. I also enjoyed the N@TM’s throughout the year because I was able to present my project with my team and see how much we progressed. I also was able to hang out with friends, view other artworks from different classes, and overall have a good time. There were a couple a lows throughtout the year. Some of them occurred when there was an assignment with unclear instructions. There were also times when the assignment received a low grade because I/my group didn’t do a particular thing that wasn’t mentioned in the instructions. There were also times when an assignment was assigned through Canvas, but was never mentioned in class.

Future plans with CompSci

I plan to continue my computer science journey through college and hopefully pursue a career in computer science. A big reason is that a good computer science worker can earn a lot of money. I also know that jobs in computer science will always be needed, especially in today’s times. But, it is also because I enjoy doing computer science. Even though it can be very frustrating at times, I enjoy watching all my hard work and progress pay off. It is also amazing to see how words, numbers, and symbols can create websites, charts, images, and much more. Although I don’t know the specific path I will take in computer science, it will probably be software engineering, or even algorithmic and artificial intelligence.

Future Plans in Education/Career

Like I previously stated, I plan to pursue a career in computer science and obtain an education in this field. But, this is not definite. I really enjoy life and physical science, and I may pursue an education related to biology and chemistry. But, if I do, I hope to pursue an education that mixes these sciences with computers, and do some sort of computational chemistry/biology. I do want to learn more about the medical field and the engineering field because they seem very exciting and I am curious as to what they do. Although I do have plans for education and career, they are not grounded. All I know is that I will pursue an education and career in STEM.

My Overall Experience and Insights from APCSP

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience in APCSP. I got to work with a diverse group of people and I learned how to work in a team effectively. I learned crucial skills like teamwork, communication, and collaboration. I also learned valuable coding techniques and gained much experience in the computer science world. In terms of classes, I also learned how to work alone effectively, as there was a lot of self studying involved in the class. I also got to hang out with friends and classmates during N@TM.