On February 19th, students participated in the University of Waterloo’s Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) which required students to use their programming skills and solve a series of difficult problems. The competition challenged participants to push themselves and improve their skills.
The CCC is run annually by the University of Waterloo for high school students. It is divided into two sections: the Junior section aimed at beginners, and the Senior section aimed at intermediate to advanced programmers. A benefit of this contest is that it allows competitors to compete in the section best suited for them, regardless of their grade.
For both sections, the competition gave three hours to complete five questions that required logic, coding skills, and algorithms. While they started off simple, the questions weren’t easy. Ishita Suresh, who competed in the Senior division, said it was quite challenging. “I won’t lie, my brain was completely melted by the time three hours was up.”
Despite the intensity of the questions, Suresh enjoyed the competition because it let her test her limits. She even encouraged others to participate in the future, as she talked about her own experience, “I know I won’t get every question, but that makes it exciting. It is fun to dive deep into problems, get lost in the challenge, and then finally figure it out. The feeling of solving a tough problem after struggling with it is amazing. Even if you can’t figure out every problem, the challenge itself is a very rewarding experience, and you learn a lot along the way.”
For students interested in participating in the CCC in the future and looking for help, the Hack Club offers training in the weeks leading up to the competition, and runs every Tuesday after school. They teach at any skill level, so students who are just starting or already experienced will have a chance to practice and improve.
Photo Credits: Zara K.
THE NORTH STAR 