Computer science is the study of computation, information, and automation. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines to applied disciplines. Algorithms and data structures are central to computer science. For some, the concept of programming may seem complicated, but for senior Raymond Arrington, it is effortless.
Arrington said he has been programming since he was a child.
“I got started in computer science at an early age when my dad bought me a course in Python,” he said. “Learning Python opened the door for me to understand coding fundamentals, and I quickly realized I enjoyed programming. Later, when I entered high school, I signed up for computer science as my foreign language. I already had some knowledge of Java, and my teacher, Mr. Morris, noticed this and encouraged me to join the computer science team. That was a turning point for me, and I’ve been passionate about computer science ever since.”
The computer science team is a close-knit community. Everyone genuinely wants each other to succeed and the friendly competition within the team is Arrington’s favorite part about computer science.
“The hardest part about computer science is the commitment it requires,” Arrington said, “It’s very time consuming and requires a high level of focus, which can be hard to maintain consistently over four years. Another challenge is having an engineering mindset-being able to solve problems logically and anticipate potential issues in design. This way of thinking takes practice but it’s crucial for success.”
Arrington has placed individually-second and first at the district level and first team twice. At the regional level he has won individually twice, and the team placed second twice. At the state level, he led the team to state, placing fourth team as a sophomore and third individual as a junior.
Most competitions start with a written test that has 45 questions and lasts 40 minutes. They then move on to the programming part. Each school chooses three team members who took the written test to compete in programing. Each member will receive a packet of twelve prompts with problem statements that consist of input/output descriptions and samples, and they are given two hours to solve as many prompts as possible.
“Raymond’s leadership, commitment, and skill level have been invaluable assets to the team,” Terry Morris, Arrington’s computer science coach, said. “As a two-time district champion and state competitor who placed third as an individual last year, he exemplifies dedication to both personal and team success. I am excited to see the impact he will continue to make on our team and look forward to.”
As captain, Arrington plans to lead his team this year by setting an example of respectful dominance at the UIL competitions. The computer science team is not only skilled but efficient. He plans to continue to foster a collaborative and supportive environment throughout this competition season.
Arrington’s goals for UIL this year are to win first place at district, region, and state, both individually and as a team. Beyond UIL he plans to study software engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas. He hopes to land an internship at a tech company during college and eventually work there after graduating.
“Computer science has become a significant part of my life, not just as a subject but as a source of community, challenge, and growth.” he said, “I’m proud of what of what I’ve accomplished, but I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, but I’m even more grateful for the opportunities to learn, compete, and contribute to my team’s success. I look forward to pursuing a career in software engineering, where I can apply everything I’ve learned and keep pushing myself to new heights.”
