Technology has become a large part of our society. With time, more jobs are being replaced by machines and artificial intelligence. Computer programming is how we can make computers perform a specific task and it is essentially what powers our digital world. 

Senior Diego Altamirano first learned how to code during the summer when working on his AP Computer Science class assignment. After he gave coding a try, he fell in love with it. Altamirano encourages people who are interested in coding and computer science to not be afraid and to give it a try. 

“Java is really easy to learn. It’s simple and it’s straightforward. But outside of school, Python, C++, and other programs are used more commonly,” Altamirano said. 

Aiko Lozar, who is a senior, began to learn how to code in elementary school when she joined the FIRST LEGO League where she learned block coding. She was a part of the Amazingly Good Programmers program in middle school, and she is now a part of the Carlsbad High School robotics team. 

“When you’re coding, you basically compile your code and then you run it. If it runs properly then the feeling of satisfaction you get after trying to debug your code for hours is just very satisfying,”  Lozar said.  

During seventh and eighth grade, Lozar and senior Pajaka Lakshmin created two projects for the competition Project Computer Science Girls, where they qualified as finalists.  

“The first year we wanted to tackle the problem of world safety. We created, essentially, a bomb sensing paint utilizing nanotechnology that could be used in airports or other hotspots to detect chemicals commonly used in bombs,” Lakshmin said. “The following year we dove into global warming and how to slow down the effects. Our project was a device that could take carbon dioxide and other air pollutants and create renewable energy.”

Quarantine is a great opportunity to start learning how to code if it sounds like something you might be interested in. There are many online resources that you can use to further your knowledge like Code.org and Coursera.com

“Anyone can code and it is such a useful skill for yourself and for the future of technology! It’s also such a creative outlet because you are creating from scratch using critical thinking, problem-solving, and your own imagination,” Lakshmin said. The sky is the limit!”