Sources: David Gustafson, 785-532-6350, dag@k-state.edu;
and Rodney Howell, 785-532-7735, rhowell@k-state.edu
Hometown connection/News tip: Andover, Burlington, Clearwater, Goddard, Hays, Junction City, Lawrence, Maize, Manhattan, Olathe, Overland Park, Prairie Village, Richmond, Shawnee and Wichita
Photos available of some of the teams placing in the event:
Firebird ++, Lawrence Free State High School, http://www.k-state.edu/media/images/nov12/firebirdplusplus.jpg ;
Realm of Pi, Flint Hills Christian School, http://www.k-state.edu/media/images/nov12/realm-of-pi.jpg ;
Team One, Olathe North High School, http://www.k-state.edu/media/images/nov12/team-one.jpg ;
Fantastic Fu Man Chu, Blue Valley Northwest High School, http://www.k-state.edu/media/images/nov12/fantastic-fu-manchu ;
Cup of Java, Shawnee Mission East High School, http://www.k-state.edu/media/images/nov12/cup-of-java.jpg
Cougars Three, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, http://www.k-state.edu/media/images/nov12/cougars-three.jpg
News release prepared by: Stephanie Jacques, 785-532-3452, sjacques@k-state.edu
Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012
Programming Perfection: Kansas high school students compete in computer programming contest
MANHATTAN -- More than 220 students from 29 Kansas high schools participated in the 21st annual High School Programming Contest at Kansas State University on Nov. 1.
The College of Engineering's computing and information sciences department sponsored the contest. Teams of up to four high school students competed to write computer programs that would solve problems presented during the contest. David Gustafson, professor, and Rodney Howell, associate professor, both of computing and information sciences, generated the problems, test cases and solutions.
"The contest gives high school students an opportunity to be challenged," Gustafson said. "We try to provide problems that have relevance to the real world and challenge the students in being creative in their solutions."
Competition was offered in beginning and advanced divisions. Teams used computer programming languages to solve six problems presented during five rounds. Teams earned points based on how quickly and accurately they were able to solve the problem within a set amount of time. Medals for first, second and third places were awarded to the teams with the highest scores.
Teams placing in the contest, their division and team members include:
From Lawrence: Zachary Moore and Elijah Houk, Firebirds ++ -- or Plus Plus -- from Lawrence Free State High School, third place, beginning division; and Quinten Batterman, Andrei Elliott and Corban Schmidt, Firebirds.net from Lawrence Free State High School, second place, advanced division.
Arthur Williams and Kenan Bitikofer, Realm of Pi from Flint Hills Christian School, Manhattan, first place, advanced division; Gregory Bixler, Team One from Olathe North High School, Olathe, first place, beginning division; Sean Doye, Alexa Summers, John Rillos and Spencer Halverson, Fantastic Fu Manchu from Blue Valley Northwest High School, Overland Park, second place, beginning division; Brian McClannahan and Matt Nestler, Cup of Java from Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, fourth place, advanced division; and Spencer Dang and Tyler Bienhoff, Cougars Three from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee, third place, advanced division.
Other high schools participating in the contest included:
Andover Central High School and Andover High School, both in Andover; Burlington High School, Burlington; Clearwater High School, Clearwater; Eisenhower High School, Goddard; Kansas Academy of Math and Science, Hays; St. Xavier, Junction City; Maize High School, Maize; Manhattan High School, Manhattan; Shawnee Mission North High School, Shawnee Mission South High School and Shawnee Mission West High School, all in Overland Park; Central Heights High School, Richmond.
From Wichita: Campus High School; Kapaun Mount Carmel High School; Wichita Heights High School; Wichita High School CTE; Wichita Southeast High School; Wichita West High School; Wichita Northeast Magnet High School; Wichita Northwest High School; and Wichita Southeast High School.
