Students and professionals compete with each other on solving computer programming challenges. Some competitions can be completed in a couple hours, and some take days and weeks to solve. There are a number coding competition leagues for high school students, and a few are also open to students in K-12. One of them is called the American Computer Science League (ACSL).
What is the American Computer Science League (ACSL)?
Since 1977, the American Computer Science League (ACSL) has organized a year long contest for students K-12 in computer programming and computer science. Every year over 500 teams from around the world compete in an year-round series of tests and challenges.
What subject matter is covered?
The ACSL competition tests both computer science and computer programming. Computer Science topics include binary/hex/octal number systems, Boolean algebra and graph theory and Computer Programming problems test the student's logical skills by coming up with code that takes a certain input and converts it into a specified output.
What is the format?
Every 2 months, students take an online 30 minute 5 question short answer test and a programming challenge to be solved in 72 hours.
What is Penguin Coding School's team?
Penguin Coding School will field teams in the Intermediate Division (grades 8-12), Junior Division (grades 6-8) and the Elementary Division (grades 3-6). Because of the nature of the team, we can only accept a small number of students.
Criteria for Acceptance Into Team
Like all our coding & robotics classes, Penguin Coding wants the students to learn a lot but also enjoy the experience. We will conduct a series of tryout classes during the next couple of weeks and select students who seem to genuinely enjoy learning advanced material and coding challenges.
Meeting Times
We will look at each applicant's availability and try to find meeting times that work for the most number of students who are accepted into the team
What is the required commitment?
Students must be able to attend at least 80% of our weekly 90 minute classes.
What is the fee?
Tryouts are free. If we accept the student and you decide to join, there is a charge per semester.
Coding Competition Interest Form
Ages 5-6
Scratch Junior
Scratch Junior is designed to introduce coding to children ages 5 and above. Students get their own iPad to develop games, music, art and animation.
Learn the fundamentals of coding by programming their own objects, mazes, and more. Using Minecraft Education Edition to maximize learning, not just playing.
Learn the fundamentals of coding by programming their own objects, mazes, and more. Using Minecraft Education Edition to maximize learning, not just playing.
Learn the fundamentals of coding by programming their own objects, mazes, and more. Using Minecraft Education Edition to maximize learning, not just playing.
Learn the fundamentals of coding by programming their own objects, mazes, and more. Using Minecraft Education Edition to maximize learning, not just playing.
Learn the fundamentals of coding by programming their own objects, mazes, and more. Using Minecraft Education Edition to maximize learning, not just playing.
Learn the fundamentals of coding by programming their own objects, mazes, and more. Using Minecraft Education Edition to maximize learning, not just playing.
Scratch is a programming platform developed by MIT specifically to introduce coding to children, and our curriculum navigates students through increasingly challenging projects.
Scratch is a programming platform developed by MIT specifically to introduce coding to children, and our curriculum navigates students through increasingly challenging projects.
Scratch is a programming platform developed by MIT specifically to introduce coding to children, and our curriculum navigates students through increasingly challenging projects.
Scratch is a programming platform developed by MIT specifically to introduce coding to children, and our curriculum navigates students through increasingly challenging projects.
Scratch is a programming platform developed by MIT specifically to introduce coding to children, and our curriculum navigates students through increasingly challenging projects.
Scratch is a programming platform developed by MIT specifically to introduce coding to children, and our curriculum navigates students through increasingly challenging projects.
Using Lua scripting language and Roblox Studio, students learn how to apply their coding knowledge to create unique customizations in the Roblox universe.
Using Lua scripting language and Roblox Studio, students learn how to apply their coding knowledge to create unique customizations in the Roblox universe.
Using Lua scripting language and Roblox Studio, students learn how to apply their coding knowledge to create unique customizations in the Roblox universe.
Using Lua scripting language and Roblox Studio, students learn how to apply their coding knowledge to create unique customizations in the Roblox universe.
Using Lua scripting language and Roblox Studio, students learn how to apply their coding knowledge to create unique customizations in the Roblox universe.
Using Lua scripting language and Roblox Studio, students learn how to apply their coding knowledge to create unique customizations in the Roblox universe.
Penguin Coding's Robotics combine building with Legos with coding that is accessible to our youngest age groups but challenging even for our most advanced students.
Penguin Coding's Robotics combine building with Legos with coding that is accessible to our youngest age groups but challenging even for our most advanced students.
Penguin Coding's Robotics combine building with Legos with coding that is accessible to our youngest age groups but challenging even for our most advanced students.
Penguin Coding's Robotics combine building with Legos with coding that is accessible to our youngest age groups but challenging even for our most advanced students.
Penguin Coding's Robotics combine building with Legos with coding that is accessible to our youngest age groups but challenging even for our most advanced students.
Java is a great language for high school students because it teaches the fundamentals of object oriented programming and it is also the language required for the AP Computer Science A exam.
Java is a great language for high school students because it teaches the fundamentals of object oriented programming and it is also the language required for the AP Computer Science A exam.
Java is a great language for high school students because it teaches the fundamentals of object oriented programming and it is also the language required for the AP Computer Science A exam.
Learn to program and build robots with Lego Spike and solve various challenges. Teams will be separated by age and prior experience into different cohorts after enrollment. Our teams have made it to FLL State Championships every year since 2019.
Learn to program and build robots with Lego Spike and solve various challenges. Teams will be separated by age and prior experience into different cohorts after enrollment. Our teams have made it to FLL State Championships every year since 2019.
Learn to program and build robots with Lego Spike and solve various challenges. Teams will be separated by age and prior experience into different cohorts after enrollment. Our teams have made it to FLL State Championships every year since 2019.
Learn to program and build robots with Lego Spike and solve various challenges. Teams will be separated by age and prior experience into different cohorts after enrollment. Our teams have made it to FLL State Championships every year since 2019.
Learn to program and build robots with Lego Spike and solve various challenges. Teams will be separated by age and prior experience into different cohorts after enrollment. Our teams have made it to FLL State Championships every year since 2019.
