admin – PSCSTA http://pscsta.org Supporting Computer Science Teachers and Students in the Puget Sound community Mon, 29 Apr 2019 04:54:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.3 http://i2.wp.com/pscsta.org/wp-content/uploads/cropped-PugetSoundSm-centered.png?fit=32%2C32 admin – PSCSTA http://pscsta.org 32 32 PSCSTA Programmers Rain Code in April http://pscsta.org/2019/04/pscsta-programmers-rain-code-in-april/ Mon, 29 Apr 2019 04:52:04 +0000 http://pscsta.org/?p=2330 The PSCSTA Spring 2019 Programming Contest held on April 20 at the Microsoft Commons in Redmond was an enormous success. With approximately 180 students from 85 teams, this was the largest number of students we have ever had for a spring event. Special thanks to our keynote speaker George Moore, Chief Technology Officer, Azure Global Retail Engineering, Microsoft Corp for his speech on computer science and the work of tomorrow Thank you to Grace Waylen, Matt Paulson, Kenny Chan, Rachel…

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The PSCSTA Spring 2019 Programming Contest held on April 20 at the Microsoft Commons in Redmond was an enormous success. With approximately 180 students from 85 teams, this was the largest number of students we have ever had for a spring event.

Special thanks to our keynote speaker George Moore, Chief Technology Officer, Azure Global Retail Engineering, Microsoft Corp for his speech on computer science and the work of tomorrow

Thank you to Grace Waylen, Matt Paulson, Kenny Chan, Rachel Huang, Patrick O’Steen, and Kevin Wang from TEALS for sponsoring this event by providing the venue, food, t-shirts, coordination and promotional assistance.

An additional shout out to all those who helped make the event happen: Lawrence Tanimoto for organization and communication; Kory Srock our master of ceremonies who also found our speaker; Alec McTavish, the Master Of Google Spreadsheets, for registration; Daniel Lafferty and Amanda O’Neal for handling permission forms and check-in; Lauren Bricker for financial management and raffle prizes, Tracey Sconyers for food management, Earl Bergquist for t-shirt design, photography management, and trophies; Brett Wortzman for sage advice; Anna Burago, Ioulia Levenkova, Lawrence Tanimoto, and David Wyde for packet creation; and our lead and head judges Michael Hawker – Lead Judge; Chad Magendanz (Head Intermediate/Novice Judge), Andrew Fitz Gibbon (Head Advanced Judge).

Photos from the contest:

Intermediate/Novice winners

GoldIndecisionMontlake Terrace High SchoolStephen Yang
Silver The CodersEastlake High SchoolSheshank Shankar
BronzeNaomiNewport High SchoolNaomi Bashkansky

Advanced division

GoldVoidTesla STEM High SchoolTony Li
Maxwell Wang
Surya Gorantla
Silver Delete System 32Newport High SchoolAndrew Liu
Terrance Li
Eric Liu
BronzeQuick SortThe Bear Creek SchoolNelson Sun
Peter Li

Please contact us for a copy of the results.



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Def Hacks April 13-14 http://pscsta.org/2019/03/def-hacks-april-13-14/ Thu, 28 Mar 2019 15:18:13 +0000 http://pscsta.org/?p=2311 From our friends at TeamsCode! The Seattle team at Def Hacks (defhacks.io) is hosting the third annual 24-hour hackathon at Microsoft HQ on April 13th-14th (see Def_Hacks_Seattle_Flyer) . The hackathon is an MLH Member Event, and has a strong emphasis on FinTech as Even (evenfinancial.com) is a sponsor and co-host. We will have mentors and recruiters from multiple companies, free meals and snacks, lots of swag, and over $2,000 in prizes! If you’re interested, learn more at defhacks.io/hackathons/seattle, apply by…

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From our friends at TeamsCode!

The Seattle team at Def Hacks (defhacks.io) is hosting the third annual 24-hour hackathon at Microsoft HQ on April 13th-14th (see Def_Hacks_Seattle_Flyer) . The hackathon is an MLH Member Event, and has a strong emphasis on FinTech as Even (evenfinancial.com) is a sponsor and co-host. We will have mentors and recruiters from multiple companies, free meals and snacks, lots of swag, and over $2,000 in prizes! If you’re interested, learn more at defhacks.io/hackathons/seattle, apply by filling out our Typeform at https://defhacks.typeform.com/to/soJJIA (you will hear back by April 6th), or feel free to reach out to christopher@defhacks.io if you have any questions.

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TeamsCode Contest set for March 16 http://pscsta.org/2019/02/teamscode-contest-set-for-march-16/ Thu, 14 Feb 2019 06:26:27 +0000 http://pscsta.org/?p=2254 The time has come for TeamsCode to host its fifth biannual programming contest at Mercer Island High School. This contest is a great opportunity for students to learn and compete in a Computer Science competition. There will be an Intermediate and Advanced division. The rules of the competition are on the TeamsCode website and are very similar to those of the PSCSTA competitions. There will be free food and free prizes. The date is set for March 16, 2019, and…

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The time has come for TeamsCode to host its fifth biannual programming contest at Mercer Island High School. This contest is a great opportunity for students to learn and compete in a Computer Science competition. There will be an Intermediate and Advanced division. The rules of the competition are on the TeamsCode website and are very similar to those of the PSCSTA competitions. There will be free food and free prizes. The date is set for March 16, 2019, and there is no competition fee. For more information, go to teamscode.com or email support@teamscode.com

REGISTRATION LINK: https://teamscode.typeform.com/to/bnGcWl

Thank you for supporting TeamsCode!

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New Logo! http://pscsta.org/2019/01/new-logo/ Sun, 27 Jan 2019 03:48:28 +0000 http://pscsta.org/?p=2215 CSTA, the national organization of which PSCSTA is a chapter, has made some changes in the last few years, including adding additional support for local chapters. This year they are helping to rebrand all chapters with consistent logos. You may have noticed we have received our new logo at the top of this page! Stay tuned for more substantive changes to PSCSTA so we can better serve the K-12 teachers (and there by the students) in computer science in the…

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CSTA, the national organization of which PSCSTA is a chapter, has made some changes in the last few years, including adding additional support for local chapters. This year they are helping to rebrand all chapters with consistent logos. You may have noticed we have received our new logo at the top of this page!

Stay tuned for more substantive changes to PSCSTA so we can better serve the K-12 teachers (and there by the students) in computer science in the region!

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PLU Programming Contest 2/2/2019 http://pscsta.org/2018/11/plu-programming-contest-2-2-2019/ Sat, 24 Nov 2018 20:06:27 +0000 http://pscsta.org/?p=2187 Pacific Lutheran University will be hosting a High School Programming contest on Saturday, February 2nd. Registration will open early January (most likely Monday, January 7th). Information about the contest can be found at https://www.plu.edu/computer-science/hs-prog-contest/  

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Pacific Lutheran University will be hosting a High School Programming contest on Saturday, February 2nd. Registration will open early January (most likely Monday, January 7th). Information about the contest can be found at https://www.plu.edu/computer-science/hs-prog-contest/

 

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TechOut! Sponsored by Amazon on May 5 http://pscsta.org/2018/04/techout-sponsored-amazon-may-5/ Sat, 14 Apr 2018 19:25:02 +0000 http://pscsta.org/?p=2173 Inviting girls to learn about engineering and technology The invitation to TechOut is now live! Teachers and parents, please pass this along. Who: Girls grade 7-12 What: FREE! A day for girls to have fun and explore careers in technology and engineering. Learn from women in tech, participate in hands-on activities and workshops, network with peers and mentors. When: Saturday, May 5th, 2018 10:00am – 2:30pm Where: University of Washington Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science and Engineering How:…

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Inviting girls to learn about engineering and technology

The invitation to TechOut is now live! Teachers and parents, please pass this along.

Who: Girls grade 7-12
What: FREE! A day for girls to have fun and explore careers in technology and engineering. Learn from women in tech, participate in hands-on activities and workshops, network with peers and mentors.
When: Saturday, May 5th, 2018 10:00am – 2:30pm
Where: University of Washington Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science and Engineering
How: Registration is limited! Sign up for this event now! Girls should register themselves on Eventbrite (The link is also on the poster.)

Note: If you register the event for your kids, you do not need register one ticket for yourself. Please bring your ticket to check in on the event day.

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TeamsCode – Programming Contest March 31 (Judges Needed too) http://pscsta.org/2018/03/teamscode-programming-contest-announcement-judges-needed/ Wed, 14 Mar 2018 06:07:32 +0000 http://pscsta.org/?p=2166 TeamsCode is hosting their third biannual MIHS Programming Contest for interested Middle and High school students on March 31st (at Mercer Island High School near Seattle). You can find out more about the contest here and their past events at or you can view the flyer. They are also in need of judges that would help score each team’s solutions to their problems. Please contact Alan and Chris through their website for more information.

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TeamsCode is hosting their third biannual MIHS Programming Contest for interested Middle and High school students on March 31st (at Mercer Island High School near Seattle). You can find out more about the contest here and their past events at or you can view the flyer.

They are also in need of judges that would help score each team’s solutions to their problems. Please contact Alan and Chris through their website for more information.

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Bring a Friend to the Unconference March 24 http://pscsta.org/2018/03/bring-friend-unconference-march-24/ Wed, 14 Mar 2018 06:03:20 +0000 http://pscsta.org/?p=2164 An Unconference is an informal and yet (slightly) structured way for a group of people to share out ideas in small, organic groups. Unbeknownst to us, we did one of these a few years ago and it was quite a hit, and has been requested as a topic since. So… Our next PSCSTA meeting will be an Unconference! When: March 24, 12:00 (arrive and socialize), 12:30-2:30 for program with more social time at the end Where: Paul G. Allen Center…

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An Unconference is an informal and yet (slightly) structured way for a group of people to share out ideas in small, organic groups. Unbeknownst to us, we did one of these a few years ago and it was quite a hit, and has been requested as a topic since. So…

Our next PSCSTA meeting will be an Unconference!

When: March 24, 12:00 (arrive and socialize), 12:30-2:30 for program with more social time at the end
Where: Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) Gates Commons (6th floor)
Registration: https://pscsta-unconference2018.eventbrite.com

Event Schedule:
12:00 – Arrive/socialize (Parking is free on campus after noon)
12:30 – 2:30: Unconference!
2:30 – Time to continue discussion or to socialize

If you would like to come strictly as a participant! Great!
If you feel you have something to share, even better! Topics are finalized on the date of the Unconference but could include:

– What happened at SIGCSE?
– How K-12 curriculum is changing as more students are seeing CS at earlier grades.
– CS Teach strategies in Elementary/MS/HS
– What to do for post AP projects?
– There’s all this talk about Data Science? Should I be doing it?
– What’s a good Post AP class?
– Robotics dos and don’ts
– Or many others

If you have other topics you would like to include PLEASE bring them!

Some may find this article helpful: How to prepare to attend an Unconference

NOTE: Participants who wish may have this workshop count for clock hours, sponsored by the PSCSTA and the UW Dawgbytes program. If interested, you will be required to do one follow up hour of reflective writing after the 2 hour workshop will be eligible to receive 3 clock hours.

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January workshop on teaching diverse students a success! http://pscsta.org/2018/02/january-workshop-teaching-diverse-students-success/ Thu, 15 Feb 2018 23:40:39 +0000 http://pscsta.org/?p=2157 PSCSTA is thrilled to have hosted Crystal Hess, Computer Science Instructor at Shoreline Community College, for her workshop entitled “Teaching Diverse Students with a Lens on Equity” on January 20. Nearly 20 PSCSTA members and other local CS educators joined us for this session where attendees were challenged to reflect on their teaching practices and how we all could work to create safe and equitable learning environments for all our students. Attendees participated in discussions about their own experiences with…

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PSCSTA is thrilled to have hosted Crystal Hess, Computer Science Instructor at Shoreline Community College, for her workshop entitled “Teaching Diverse Students with a Lens on Equity” on January 20. Nearly 20 PSCSTA members and other local CS educators joined us for this session where attendees were challenged to reflect on their teaching practices and how we all could work to create safe and equitable learning environments for all our students. Attendees participated in discussions about their own experiences with equity, how they deal with issues of diversity in their classes, and what techniques can be useful in responding to different situations and scenarios. Said one workshop attendee: “It was amazing to get to discuss these issues with fellow educators and learn about the unique circumstances we each face in our classrooms. I definitely have a lot of new ideas for how I can create a more inclusive space for my students.”

If you’d like to learn more about the workshop, you can view the slides or contact Crystal.

Thanks to Crystal Hess for facilitating the workshop, Lauren Bricker for organizing, and the University of Washington for providing space. Thanks also to Jeremy Munroe for helping to make clock hours available to those who attended the workshop.

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Jan 20 Workshop: Teaching Diverse Students with a Lens on Equity in the CS Classroom http://pscsta.org/2018/01/jan-20-workshop-teaching-diverse-students-lens-equity-cs-classroom/ Thu, 11 Jan 2018 06:19:07 +0000 http://pscsta.org/?p=2150 When: Jan 20, 12:00 (arrive and socialize), 12:30-2:30 for program with more social time at the end Where: Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) Gates Commons (6th floor) Registration: https://pscsta-jan2018.eventbrite.com This workshop, run by Crystal Hess, is designed to engage critical thinking about how to build a collaborative learning community in the classroom that focuses on advocacy for students from marginalized or underserved populations. Participants will engage in activities, discussion, and reflection to generate critical thinking…

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When: Jan 20, 12:00 (arrive and socialize), 12:30-2:30 for program with more social time at the end
Where: Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) Gates Commons (6th floor)
Registration: https://pscsta-jan2018.eventbrite.com

This workshop, run by Crystal Hess, is designed to engage critical thinking about how to build a collaborative learning community in the classroom that focuses on advocacy for students from marginalized or underserved populations.

Participants will engage in activities, discussion, and reflection to generate critical thinking about how can they, as educators, act/react to create a safe and equitable learning environment for our students. Participants gain common vocabulary about equity (privilege, bias, and allyship) and participate in discussions about how each of these can effect a student’s ability to engage in learning in the classroom and to feel belonging in to a collaborative learning community (particularly those students you are traditionally underserved or marginalized). Participants will work through example inequity scenarios, discuss solutions with their peers, and practice responses that create a safe and equitable learning experience for their students.

NOTE: Participants will be required to do an hour of pre-work consisting of groundwork for discussions in the sessions including reading supplied articles and completing supplied activities as well as reflecting on those experiences before coming to the workshop.

Participants who complete the pre-work and the 2 hour workshop will be eligible to receive 3 regular clock hours (sponsored by PSCSTA and the UW Dawgbytes program) (pending approval from WSTA, but we don’t think it will be a problem). Please email csta.pugetsound@gmail.com if you would like to receive clock hours for this event.

Event Schedule:
12:00 – Arrive/socialize (Parking is free on campus after noon)
12:30 – 2:30: Workshop
2:30 – Time to continue discussion or to socialize

About the facilitator: Crystal Hess is a tenure-track Computer Science Instructor at Shoreline Community College. She previously taught both High School and was most recently Program Director at Ada Developers Academy (a coding bootcamp in Seattle for women and gender diverse people). She is most passionate about creating an equitable, safe, and fun learning experience for all students (especially the underserved) in the intro sequence (CS0 and CS1 in particular) and creating communities where people feel supported and connected (both students and educators).

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