The Code.org video is finally finished! Click Here
Google and Code.org are partnering up to find kids from 5th grade to high school to feature on the Google home page in a video about learning to program. There will be appearances at the shoot by celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Jay-Z and Michelle Obama, just to name a few. Here is my submission to casting:
What do you love about programming?
Programming allows me to express my ideas in an interactive format. Programming turns my ideas into games and my stories into interactive adventures. Programming allows me to communicate better, build cool things, record data and process information. It’s fun to create my own kingdoms, where my imagination is the king. Programming really allows me to put my imagination to the test. But I like working on mostly proof-of-concept programming. I can create gigantic battles between thousands of players inside a fantasy world, simple text-adventures or an algorithm that solves a problem. I love programming because it’s a limitless tool for my imagination.
How did you learn programming?
My interest in programming started with Scratch. I was at a tech “summer camp” about three or four years ago that was using Scratch to teach the basics of programming. Within a few days I was already ahead of the class, and I knew I loved programming. I continued Scratch for the next few years and mastered advanced concepts with it, such as online networking and 3D. I eventually outgrew Scratch and decided it was time to start on something bigger. I knew I wanted to start programming in C++ and Java, but I needed a stepping stone to get there. Two years ago I took a class on Multimedia Fusion 2. I instantly loved it, and got pretty good at it. I knew it was time to start on some of the “real” languages. Last year, I took classes on C++ and Java. While my knowledge of Java is fairly limited, I instantly understood C++. I am now intermediate at C++. This year I decided to expand my knowledge with online classes in Javascript and HTML, but I am still a beginner at both, as I am most focused on improving my C++. These days, I carry around a Programming in C++ for Dummies book as reading material at school. I also refer to it if I need to learn new concepts. Some of the biggest resources I am using right now are Google, Stack Overflow, Code Academy and cplusplus.com. Any of my questions can usually be answered on these websites. I also belong to a coding club in Los Angeles called Coder Dojo and I occasionally attend Hackerthons.
What do you do in your free time?
I like to play videogames such as Starcraft 2, Minecraft and Kerbal Space Program. I attend and teach classes at LA Makerspace, and I am currently a facilitator for the classes on Scratch. I am the webmaster for my Boy Scout Troop (At 11 years old, I am the youngest webmaster my troop has ever had.) I have a blog, kigabit.blogspot.com which highlights my interest in science and has some old games I programmed. I’m also getting into Arduino and Raspberry Pi and I like to tinker and practice my soldering by making small electronic projects. Of course one of my biggest hobbies is programming! I like listening to electronic music by Daft Punk or Approaching Nirvana. I also like fencing, Boogie Boarding and taking apart computers and selling the parts. I am an avid reader and a Doctor Who geek.
What level of programmer are you?
Intermediate. Scratch, C++, Java, Autodesk Maya, Bloodshed Dev C++, Eclipse, UDK, Multimedia Fusion 2.
How comfortable are you with teaching someone to program? Tell us what you would teach and how you would do it.
I am very comfortable with teaching someone to program. As I have mentioned above, I currently teach Scratch classes at LA Makerspace and enjoy teaching as much as learning. I am working on developing my own programming language using C++, in an effort to teach people to code and to overcome the daunting syntax that scares people away from coding. I love explaining scientific theories to people. I once explained Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity to my aunt (a teacher) now she says she “finally gets it!” If I got the chance to participate in your video, I would teach basic programming in C++. I would start with a Hello World program and then transition to teaching variables. I could also show how to gather input from the user in the command line. If you wanted me to go more basic, I would teach Scratch. We could work on making a custom object move across the screen - even add music and sound effects!
Example of something I programmed (link above and here: K9 Calculator): I programmed in C++ what I call the K9 Calculator. This program calculates a dog’s true age. The user inputs their dog’s age in human years and my program calculates their dog’s true age in “dog years.” My algorithm allows for these variables: 1) Dogs age at varying speeds during different stages of their lives. 2) Different sized breeds of dog age at varying speeds. Have fun!
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