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Programmed response: State High computer sciences class writes solution for school website
By Aisha Powell
SCASD Communications Intern
A student’s hobby turned into the State College Area High School’s solution to a pressing problem.
Junior Daniel Reapsome, who began writing computer code in the sixth grade, recently led his Cisco 2 computer programming class to creating a rotating display for school announcements on the State High website.
The site’s website editors were looking for an easier way to have the school’s announcements displayed without manually typing them out — a tedious, time-consuming task.
State High students in Chris Pechtold's Cisco 2 computer programming class, led by junior Daniel Reapsome, center in maroon shirt, recently created a program that allowed the school website to display announcements. |
Chris Pechtold, the Cisco 2 class teacher, stepped forward to tackle the issue. He presented his class of eight students with the challenge and let them take over.
“There was not one best solution; there were many options to fix the problem,” Pechtold said.
Already with programming knowledge, Reapsome served as the project leader, helping teach the class skills.
“It was a non-cost way the students could apply what they learned and possibly help the district,” Pechtold said.
The complex process of embedding links, knowing iframe and encoding — which Reapsome had been doing since sixth grade — came easy to him as he tried to solve the problem. Teaching the class, he said, ended up being an enjoyable challenge.
Reapsome started his interest in computer sciences by making simple input programs. In eighth grade he devoted more time as his interest grew more serious, and he began creating gaming programs.
As time progressed, Reapsome began learning more, expanding his knowledge in the field of computer sciences.
“Seeing your program solve a problem is the best feeling,” he said. “Making something with a program that can make something easier is just cool.”
He then began daily programming, the step that led to not only to a needed solution but also his current job at Locker Room, a local start-up congregating and disbursing information about sports.
Students rarely get to apply what they learn in school until after graduation. But Reapsome and his classmates didn’t have to wait. When a golden opportunity came about, they rose to the occasion — and helped inform their school in the process.
Aisha Powell is a Penn State junior majoring in broadcast/print journalism and business management.