From "Hello World" to Building Web Games by Rui On

From "Hello World" to Building Web Games by Rui On - June 2024 Scholarship Essay

My first programming teacher, Ms. Chasser, played a crucial role in my STEM journey. In my freshman summer, I enrolled in my first coding course Introduction to Java at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth to satisfy my curiosity about what code can do.

The very first line of code I successfully ran, printed out the statement “Hello World!”. After that, I began playing around with mathematical calculations with variables to perform simple tasks like a calculator would. These introductory lessons were easy to understand. However, as I jumped onto more complicated concepts such as loops, I was confused, lost, and doubted my ability to succeed because for every line of code I wrote, a red error message appeared. No matter how many hours I spent debugging, my efforts were futile. I decided to try researching a solution to find out why my code was not working, but that only confused me even more. Soon, my teacher, Ms. Chasser reached out and that changed everything.

As she took time outside of her day to explain the different types of loops, and how each one compiled, I slowly began to understand how to apply these methods to the homework and grasp back the confidence that slipped away from me. Her willingness to offer extra help, and patiently answer my questions created an environment where I felt comfortable admitting that I needed assistance. This type of closure inspired me to continue exploring the world of coding. Hence, I applied for another program in my sophomore summer, the Inspirit Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scholars Program. Here, I learned a new programming language, Python. This time, I was more open to asking questions about the concepts I did not understand. In group workshops, I would ask my mentor for clarification and they were always more than willing to break down the complex lines of code and explain them thoroughly to me.

My desire to create my own game eventually led me to join the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program in 2023. This program introduced me to JavaScript and by the end of the program, I was able to successfully build my own customized web browser game that immerses players in a maze adventure to find a lost friend while challenging them to navigate around obstacles to collect coins. Following this, I joined Summer Springboard’s Software Engineering Program, where I built an Instagram clone website, enabling users to log in with their Gmail accounts and manage posts.

These teachers and mentors alongside the programs I have attended, have all shaped my academic journey towards computer science. Their guidance not only instilled valuable problem-solving and debugging skills but also fostered personal qualities like perseverance and the importance of seeking help. As I embark on my college education, I will carry these skills to commit, excel, and embrace new challenges that await me.