Each student offers a different perspective and so many are on different paths. Zoe is a young mind seeking answers to questions, and is willing do the work to create a solution where she sees a problem. Her proficiency in robotics has assisted her in creating her first invention, and her search for answers is logical, musical and she’s finding her voice.

A Young Mind Eager to Learn

Starting in computer science at 8 years old Zoe began her journey with robotics. In a weeklong camp she was able to build and program a mechanical hand to open and close. With this ‘handy’ knowledge Zoe was hooked, and her parents continued to encourage her to build games and projects using Scratch and Java! This continued support and guidance allowed Zoe to build a foundation in coding and robotics. Zoe came to KTBYTE with all of this knowledge, joining our Advanced Robotics 3 course in 2024.

In our conversation it was a common theme between computer science and music that Zoe had a desire to understand what things were and how they worked. Simple curiosity, like not yet knowing what a piano is, or what it does, but deciding to try playing a few notes and figure it out.

Following Her Curiosity

From tapping on piano keys to typing on a keyboard, both feel like they’re creating something for Zoe. After working hard in her first robotics course Zoe moved to our competitive Robotics class. Zoe signed up for multiple competitions and got to work on deciding what she’d make. Her first step was to find a problem she thought that she could solve. Looking at her peers, she found a common problem – forgetting something you needed for the day at home.

Her solution? A robot that scans you, checks what items you have utilizing AI to recognize not only what you have but who you are. This invention won her the New Hampshire Inventors Choice Award, the Thomas Edison Pitch Contest 2^nd place in Elementary Division, and the AI Theme Award. I’d say that’s prize winning curiosity.

More Than Just Coding

Outside of CS and robotics Zoe’s interests are a prized collection of things she enjoys most. From swimming and playing piano and the flute, to teaching herself the “ancient hand whistle” proving her creativity isn’t limited to any one format. Within even her most recent Robotics competitions she said that the part she felt most translated to her day to day life was the Pitch portion of the competition.

Zoe admitted she was pretty nervous before her presentation at the competition. She had a bit of experience having shared her invention with her classmates, but she knew her invention would be under more scrutiny by the judges and she’d have to be able to field any and all questions. After a volley of questions from her brother and her dad, practicing and memorizing the best responses – presentation time had come. Zoe said that after her presentation she felt like she had to have won. A sense of accomplishment at not only what she had created, but at finding her voice.

To Conclude

At the end of this interview I didn’t leave with what I expected to at all. Since this blog focuses so much on computer science I tend to skew toward that when learning about students. Zoe’s story reminded me that computer science, coding, robotics and the lot – they’re tools for creativity. They allow students to tinker, invent and explore across many disciplines. That’s what makes Zoe’s story so inspiring.

This young girl, at only 10, was able to see a problem, and had the tools, support, and determination to create a solution. With the help of her parents, her brother and KTBYTE Robotics Instructor Zachary Z. Zoe is on the trajectory to continue inventing solutions for the problems of tomorrow.

Parents often ask me, what can my 8, 9, or 10 year old really do with computer science? I hope this story shows that what it really provides provides them with are tools to think clearly, build creatively, and problem solve with confidence. For Zoe, computer science isn’t a class or a competition – it is a way of understanding and shaping the world around her.

Beginnings at KTByte

When Jophy’s parents first noticed her interest in computer science, they signed her up for CORE1b, a Beginner Core Java class, at KTBYTE, which they had heard good things about from family friends.

As she made her way through increasingly advanced KTBYTE classes, Jophy became exposed to the many sub-disciplines of computer science and learned about their greater impact on the world. Her favorite course at KTBYTE has been CORE5b, which covers college-level Java. The class was her first experience coding applications, which sparked an interest in online computing tools that were meaningful to her and, later on, her areas of research.

Jophy identifies KTBYTE instructor Andrew T. as someone who has forever impacted her life, saying: “I found him a little intimidating, as he was a little strict with his expectations, but it was ultimately his teaching that has led to my success today”.

USACO, ISEF & More

After taking KTBYTE’s prep courses, Jophy was able to advance to the Gold Divison of the USA Computing Olympiad, our nations qualifier for the International Olympiad of Informatics. In addition to competitive coding, she has also entered her research and projects into other prestigious competitions and won the following accolades:

• Two-times ISEF Finalist (Association for Advancement of AI Special Award Finalist, Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers Special Award Finalist)
• Lifetime Fellowship & Full Honors from AJAS (American Junior Academy of Science)
• National STEM Festival Finalist
• WAICY (World AI Competition for Youth) AI Showcase Track Finalist 

For ISEF and the National STEM Festival, Jophy submitted an AI-based research project looking to help doctors diagnose diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of vision loss in adults today, which often goes undetected. Reading through the existing studies on creating an AI-based solution for diagnosis, Jophy came to the conclusion that many of them focused on developing a singular AI model, which is more likely to be flawed in its predictions. Instead, she created an ensemble learning model, combining multiple AI models, which all rely on each other to make the final prediction. This system’s diagnosis is thereby “a lot more reliable and safe”, says Jophy.

For WAICY, one of the largest AI youth competitions in the world, Jophy developed an AI-powered mobile app that allows you to take a picture of the food you have available and generates a recipe, which helps reduce food waste, one of the leading contributors of greenhouse gas emissions.

At the AJAS Conference, Jophy was given the honor of presenting her work to leading scientists, professors from renowned institutions and Nobel laureates. For the achievement, Jophy also received a personally signed and addressed letter from New Jersey Senator Vin Gopal praising her for her research.

What’s Next for Jophy

Jophy has an upcoming research internship funded by MIT that will focus on the applications of AI in finance. She’ll be working with a professor on getting her research published.

Jophy also wants to get her ensemble learning model into actual clinics, where it will hopefully predict more accurate diagnoses, as diabetic retinopathy’s false-negative and under-diagnosis rates remain high.

No matter what she researches now or in the future, Jophy looks to create AI models with the hopes that they will be used for medical use, financial use and other real-world applications.

Looking Back

In today’s digital age, computer technology has become a remarkable tool that grants convenience and support in all fields. Jophy believes that it is crucial to “keep yourself educated about computer science. Whether you’re a high school student or an adult in the real world, having basic computer science skills is crucial to succeed in the workplace and in your day-to-day life.”

KTByte understands this truth well, with its mission statement underlining its instructors’ dedication to “offering an unparalleled level of preteen, tween and teen computer science education”, teaching its students “the fundamental principles that shape modern technology”. KTByte has a diverse and comprehensive computer science curriculum, teaching a variety of coding languages and providing one-on-one homework help hours at no additional cost.

Looking back at her years at KTByte, Jophy appreciates how her instructors broadened her horizons and taught her all that computer science can do for the world. First a student, now an instructor herself, Jophy’s stayed at KTByte all these years because “it offers a lot of support and a good community for learning about computer science”. Jophy says that she appreciates how helpful KTByte’s resources are for budding coders, and their mission to educate the youth is the reason why she has continued to teach at KTByte.

Jophy’s time as a student at KTByte inspired her to create her own projects and to pay it forward to her students, giving them the educational experience she had been given all those years ago. Her passion for computer science has only grown throughout the years, and she will continue to use it to help others, both in and outside the classroom.

• Hackathons: From a Student’s Perspective
• The Origin of KTHack
• KTHack 2025 Info
• Closing Summary

How do you turn a kid’s love of coding into something bigger? You start with a hackathon, here’s why – hackathons are collaborative events where computer programmers, new and experienced, come together to create something with code and prepare a group presentation in just a few days. They will do this to solve an identified problem or respond to a given prompt from the organizers and leaders of the Hackathon Event. KTBYTE’s annual hackathon, KTHack 2025, is its community event of the year, as it’s completely free to attend. For KTHack 2025, students grades 7th-12th will gather to enter their coding projects for a chance to win one of over $2000 worth of prizes.

Students can play it solo, or we encourage students to work together in a team of up to four people, which they can form either before the competition start time or on the first day of the competition.

Hackathons are popular events for competitive, innovative. and createive students looking for a place to apply what they know and meet new people. They will have the unique opportunity of waching an idea come to life, working with each step to correct, adjust, communicate and revisit their work.

Hackathons: From a Student’s Perspective

“I’ve always been a big believer in learning by doing, and I think hackathons are one of the best places to do that! From my own experience, I found it amazing to see people come together, tackle challenges as a team, and actually have fun while picking up new skills.”

-Jophy Lin (KTBYTE student instructor)

Joie Yeung and Yuanheng Mao, are the KTBYTE student instructors who first reached out to KTBYTE about holding a hackathon have fond memories of participating in hackathons as the budding coders they once were, remain passionate and involved in the coordination of KTHack today. Taking their combined skill, passion and drive they’ve been able to help numerous other students explore their passion using hackathons.

Joie reflects on how she was able to utilize her creativity to invent something “unique and exciting” at each hackathon she attended, affirming that it’s “a great opportunity for those participating to gain experience and project skills.” For students just starting out, or already experienced with CS it allows them the space and structure to create with confidence, pushing the limits on what students feel they themselves are capable of.

Moreover, Yuanheng says that with this year’s KTHack, he “hopes to create an environment that will inspire others to discover new interests”, reminiscing on how he discovered his interest in AI while competing in a hackathon. The power of collective communication, and trying new things can give students perspective they won’t experience outside of the hackathon environment.

That is to say that hackathons are not just events where coders can flourish, but also opportunities for them to work on passion projects with their people. At her hackathons, Jophy (who has helped to organize every KTHack since its launch in 2023) was able to find people who were both like-minded and very different from herself, her ability to connect with these indiviuduals proved especially helpful when she wanted support on a research project and was able to call in her hackathon connections.

At hackathons, students can experiment, collaborate, create and grow. Though Joie, Yuanheng and Jophy all attended hackathons separately and had different experiences, through KTBYTE, they have come together to lead KTHack 2025 and share their collective love of hackathons with the next generation of coders.

The Origin of KTHack

Joie and Yuanheng explain why they first launched KTHack:

Yuanheng: “As an instructor, I saw how many students would learn amazing CS skills, but never put them to use or explore them further after finishing a class. That led me to reach out to KTBYTE, since I knew that they would have the resources to support a hackathon, and they were very supportive of doing this for the community.”

Joie’s positive relationship with KTBYTE similarly led her to reach out about hosting a hackathon, as it “was a community that had helped [her] in [her] own career, so [she] wanted to give back”. When it turned out that Yuanheng harbored the same ideas as Joie, they began working together to plan KTBYTE’s first ever hackathon.

Joie, Yuanheng and other student leaders spent the next 8 months designing the event, recruiting staff, creating a website, setting up a discord server, “and all the logistics of creating this event from scratch”. For KTHack’s first year, Yuanheng remarks, “over 50 people participated with very positive feedback, and a large portion of them returned for KTHack again the next year. That told us that KTHack really had potential as an event and has helped motivate us to grow KTHack to what it is today”.

“From just an idea that Yuanheng and I shared, KTHack has become a growing community of both volunteers and participants!” Joie says.

The student leaders behind everything that goes into KTHack–the organizing, the staffing, the support–know that their work will make a difference in their attendees’ lives. 

Stanley Liu, who volunteered for KTHack last year as well, has witnessed its magic. Reflecting on how the young coders collaborated and pooled together their individual specializations to create projects with great potential to help others, Stanley says: “If I’m able to help provide a space for that and see the results, that’s plenty of reason for me to volunteer again.”

KTHack 2025 Info

Where will KTHack be held? The majority of KTHack events will be held online via Discord, but this year, students can come to the KTBYTE Lexington office for the in-person KTHack workshops! On June 7th, events will occur from 9am to 9pm EST, and on June 8th they last from 9am to 5:30pm EST.

KTHack is open to coders of all levels, who will work to solve a problem based on this year’s theme of Social Impact, with sub-themes of Financial, Environmental and Educational Impact. 

Hackathons are an opportunity for students to not only compete and apply their skills, but also to learn in a supportive environment. For KTHack 2025, KTBYTE student staff have volunteered to mentor and guide competitors as they simultaneously work to code and debug their projects, either being on stand-by for assistance or hosting their own specialized workshops. 

Closing Summary

When your student attends a hackathon, they will:

• Collaborate with others in the coding community
• Apply their coding knowledge and learn new skills
• Discover new interests
• Create products tackling societal issues

Hackathons are an invaluable learning experience for young coders, being simultaneously a place of competition and community. KTBYTE’s student leaders are volunteering their time and energy to make KTHack 2025 another unforgettable experience, passing on what they enjoyed most about their hackathons to their participants.

Budding coders should be given the opportunity to develop and grow, show off what they know and be recognized for their efforts. Hackathons like KTHack are their chance to do just that.

More information on KTHack 2025 is listed on its website (go here to sign up): https://kthack.org/ 

For more information on KTBYTE and its mission, check out our main website: https://www.ktbyte.com/ 

Introduction

Many parents view computer science as a purely logical and highly technical discipline often overlooking creativity as an essential component. Kendree’s journey through computer science was one marked by technical ability and the courage and creativity to pursue various applications and opportunities. Starting out with lego Mindstorms before joining KTBYTE in 5th grade she was able to turn her coding skills into tools for creating a path she’s excited to take.

The Spark: From Robotics to Creative Coding

A young Kendree (about 10 yrs old) found her initial interest in Lego Mindstorms, it was the graphics and the problem solving that peaked her interest. Her dad, having some experience with coding on the Atari game platform in the 80’s, knew that with some encouragement and a little guidance maybe something good would come from Kendree’s early interest. Kendree was a quick learner and was able to advance through the curriculum quickly. Her first detour was taking a Generative Art class so that she had time for her math skills to catch up to her coding ability.

Her first introduction to Generative Art was actually seeing the pieces of art, made by students, on the walls of the KTBYTE office:

All around KTBYTE you'll find art projects that are created using Java code, on the wall outside KTBYTE the projects are displayed with their source code! If you want to check out one of Kendree's projects click here: Text Art Project. In her project the text changes color, size and font as you move it around the screen! I did a demo below using the text "KTBYTE Rocks", because KTBYTE does in fact rock. 

The Creative Shift: Discovering Generative Art

Taking Generative art was a way to try something new with coding without advancing too quickly. It was an opportunity for her creative side to come out even more and it provided Kendree with more tools to express herself.

In 2022 after working on USACO and achieving USACO Silver, Kendree took Web Development and began investing her time into large scale projects. She hosts her own personal website, her robotics team website and has even started helping with updates within the KTBYTE website! Her passion for computing is evident in the time and energy she spends on the varied project base she has built up. A project she’s especially proud of was a summer Website Development Internship creating a RAG AI application.

What is a RAG AI Application:
It's a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) AI application is an AI system that uses external knowledge to improve the performance of a large language model (LLM). RAG applications can be used for a variety of tasks, including answering questions, providing customer support, and creating personalized recommendations. 
These are created to make AI Systems more reliable through the use of external data sources in real time. 
tl;dr - It allows AI to learn so it can perform better for the user/ use case. 

The path to and through these various projects has proven to be less of a direct route from a to b, but there were some cows in the road, a github on the corner, and a few bugs in the code. This experimentation culminates to confidence to build projects independently, courage to try new things, and a passion for learning.

Full Circle: Kendree’s Growth from Student to Developer

It’s important to note that from Kendree starting with KTBYTE to now all of the various roles she’s played, on the KTBYTE team. Obviously she came to KTBYTE as a student. Moving through the material she became a KTBYTE TA. After serving as a TA for a few years she became a Teacher! Kendree now works with our developers and our website designer Cole M, with Motsinger Designed to help with the front end development of our website!

Before:

After:

While working with KTBYTE Kendree was also able to work on an ICSS (Independent Computer Science Study) on API vulnerabilities within Android apps. With a Team of KTBYTE students led by the owner of the company and senior instructor Ben students worked to create a set of tests for independent app builders to utilize in testing the endpoints of their API’s to ensure their security.

Along with the work she’s done within KTBYTE she’s also passionate about continuing her robotics competitions, she’s an avid crafter, and she seems to be an eternal student finding more applications of computer science to explore.

Why Creativity Matters in Computer Science – Author’s opinion

Many parents and even student see computer science as a purely analytical field, but I’ve seen first hand how creativity can make students better problem solvers, leaders, and independent thinkers. Here are a few real benefit’s I’ve seen with students I’ve personally worked with:

• Increased potential for trying something new.
• Ability to problem solve more independently.
• Students are more willing to take on leadership roles.
• More attention spent on larger scale personal projects.
• Able to communicate mistakes/ willing to ask for help.

I also want to clarify that creativity is not only linked with classes with the word ART in the title. I’ve seen creativity in AI and Machine Learning projects, in CORE class projects from games to slideshows. I can’t say that creativity and problem solving are synonyms but I do know they’re intricately linked.

Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.

From Human Motivation, 3rd ed., by Robert E. Franken

Conclusion

In a letter to her child Abigail Adams wrote “Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardour and diligence.” Being that Abigail Adams was a fervent supporter of women’s education, and emphasized the importance of active learning and personal effort it’s a great way to conclude the story of a student who has done just that. Kendree is in pursuit of knowledge, and soaking up every bit she can get her hands on. She is an incredibly hard worker, leader, coworker, and friend to her peers.

To learn more about this new team competition based robotics offering, keep reading!

Our VEX team at their first competition in January 2025!

What is VEX? 

VEX is a world-renowned competition series for middle- and high-school age students to have fun and learn valuable engineering skills. We began sponsoring a Middle School V5 team during the 2024 – 2025 school year. Our team will build a robot together to complete a task in competitions with other middle school teams

Who can participate? What are the age requirements for VEX?

VEX is good for students in middle school (give or take a year) with any amount of experience. Our team competes in the middle school division so students should be in 8th grade or below to participate. Students who are not in middle school yet, might be able to join with instructor approval. 

My child has finished middle school but wants to participate. Is that allowed? 

We might be able to make an exception for high school freshmen, depending on the needs of the team and instructor approval. For students in grade 10 or beyond, they will likely not be allowed to attend competitions as team members but might be able to join the team as an additional “coach”, which is a great leadership opportunity! In the future we hope to offer a high school team as well for those who want to participate at a higher level.

What do students do on a VEX Team? 

Students are split between different roles on a VEX team. These roles will vary year to year but usually include building robots, programming them, and documenting the engineering process. Our goal is for everyone on the team to have exposure to the different roles on the team while naturally allowing students to drift towards their preferred specialities. 

The KTBYTE VEX team attends weekly lessons on how to design their robot and compete in tournaments.

How many competitions will the team go to? 

Our goal for our first year of offering the team was to compete in 3 tournaments including the Massachusetts Regionals tournament at the end of the season. In future years we plan to have more experience to draw from among our team members, which will allow us to compete more often. During the 2024-2025 school year it took until January for us to have a robot ready for tournaments, while in future years we hope to be able to reach that point by October or November.

How will VEX help students? 

Students on our VEX team learn mechanical engineering and computer science concepts, as well as human skills like leadership and project management. This experience will be useful for any future learning or career in the STEM disciplines. Students will also learn the inner workings of the specific VEX competition, which could allow them to lead a team or compete in the high school division in the future! And while we prefer that students are excited to participate on the team for its own sake, experience working on a VEX team will look great for high school, college, NHS, and other applications.

What’s the difference between VEX and FIRST robotics competitions?

In deciding which team-based competition to offer, we were considering both VEX and FIRST. These are both well known competitions. Note that sometimes you might hear the competitions FTC, FLL, or FRC, which are all variations of FIRST. 

We chose VEX because the nature of rules surrounding the robot building are slightly more regulated than FIRST. As a result, there is a more level playing field and costs are lower. Plus, our instructors at KTBYTE are more familiar with VEX, making it the clear winner in deciding where we could be the most successful. 

In the future, we could offer different robotics teams like FIRST and are always open to feedback about what students prefer! 

How are VEX learning goals different from the CORE classes?

At KTBYTE we are constantly evolving our curriculum. This is partially because computer science and robotics are rapidly evolving fields and it is important for us to evolve with them to meet the needs of our students. Our newest offerings at KTBYTE include VEX, GoDot, and Artificial Intelligence courses. All of our courses are taught by passionate and qualified instructors. In comparison with our Core classes, our newer offerings have fewer graded assignments and support options outside of class time, which also means the course fees are generally lower than other parts of our curriculum.

As a team offering, VEX is different from the rest of our curriculum in that there is no “next course” to progress to. Students can continue to compete on our VEX team each year while they’re in middle school, and we hope to be able to offer a high school team as well in the near future. If VEX students would like to try out our other courses, they’ll receive a personalized recommendation on which robotics or programming classes best fit their experience level.

I have more questions! 

Feel free to give us a call at (818) 748-8848 or email us at [email protected] . We have extensive customer support and are always willing to talk about VEX or anything else! 

Building blocks and JavaBlocks

Aidan’s first class with KTBYTE was our JavaBlocks CORE2 Weeklong! He excelled at the course and enjoyed the weeklong format, so he came back for the CORE3 Weeklong. Aidan’s curiosity and drive pushed him into robotics, other CS focused courses and eventually to high level competition material. His family played a key role in encouraging to take the tools he was learning and apply them in creating games like Monopoly, this game with complex rules, and different behavior coming from different spaces allowed him to understand how various concepts could come together and his completion of the project inspired him to continue learning.

In his courses with us Aidan learned processing to start, and later on Java. He spoke about how he was glad to have learned Java first because, with it being an Object Oriented language, and since it’s been around for so long it’s quite big which can be complicated but it set him up for a better understanding of Python, and it made looking at other languages much easier.

“Just knowing Java makes everything a lot more simple, because a lot of the concepts in other languages, like Python, already exist within Java. “

Achievements and Accolades

At the age of 14 Aidan has already been promoted to USACO silver, he has completed course material more difficult than that on the AP CS A exam and he’s built an incredibly strong foundation of Computer Science knowledge. Aidan is currently working on projects in our AI and machine learning class and participated in our KTBYTE Hackathon winning “Best Beginner Team Hack” for his project “Flashlight Escaping”.

What’s ahead?

For a student who has excelled at CS like he has I was curious to see what goals Aidan had for his future. He has high hopes of opening his own company one day using code he’s created, and sharing what he’s learned with other students. Aidan hopes to continue competing in other hackathons, learn to do more with AI, and continue learning more about CS.

Advice to other students

Aidan’s advice to other students focuses on curiosity. He encourges students to become the problem solver and utilize all the resources they have access to in finding answers. Some of his favorite websites for finding explanations about code were: W3schools, Geeksforgeeks, and Stackoverflow. He was able to piece together lots of information on his own and once he joined KTBYTE classes with live instruction it allowed him to ask questions and get real time answers, within a guided curriculum. In addition to classes and web resources he said that he spent lots of time working with our Office Hours teaching assistants working through concepts and solving problems in his code. This allowed him to try harder material, with the knowledge he was just a meeting away from getting help.

In Closing

As someone who’s worked with KTBYTE now for over 5 years and i’ve seen so many students come throught the virtual doors. Aidan’s story is one of nurturing knowledge and letting it flourish. As a staff we were nervous to see such a young student move into 5b, let alone into USACO work, but our goal is to support students in whatever they’re excited about. Aidan has proven that with support, courage to make mistakes, and a whole lot of curiosity these kids can do anything. We’re excited to see what Aidan will do in the future, after all he’s still just 14!

We had an awesome time last year with all of our students who participated in the AIO. We had some big wins, like having some of our students receive Gold or Silver our first time participating. We also realized that there wan’t enough preparation. The best way to get better at something is practice, this year we’re creating a class option for students to spend more time with the material, and testing style. We hope this option is helpful for students who are new to competitions and would like to try AIO, or for students who have participated in other competitions and would like to learn about another competition. Check out our AIO Comp Prep course to learn more.

Table of Contents

1. What is the AIO?
2. Judging Format
3. Contest Format
4. Getting Registered
5. Solving Problems
6. Additional Resources

What is the AIO?

The AIO or Austrailian Informatics Olympiad is Australia’s version of the United State’s USACO contest: A nationwide programming competition for advanced high school students, which also serves as a qualifier for the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) for Australian students. Another similar contest is the CCC (Canadian Computing Competition), which shares a lot of similarities in format and difficulty. Luckily, all of these are open to students in any country to participate in and be recognized for their achievements!

Judging Format

AIO, like USACO and CCC, uses the “online judge” format. For each problem, competitors are given a scenario, often inspired by a real-world problem or decision process, and must write a program that accepts data about the scenario and determines one or more results or correct decisions based on it. The source code (written in Java, C++, or Python) is submitted to the online system, which automatically runs the program multiple times, each time with a different data set which should lead to a different answer. The program must run automatically, calculating results and making logical decisions without further input from the programmer. Points are awarded based on which ones the submitted program matches the expected answer. Time is also a factor – more efficient algorithms are expected for the harder problems, or else some of the runs of the program might take too long, and reduce the credit obtained for the program.

For example, the “Election II” problem from AIO 2022 requires the program to determine the results of an election based on a text-based vote count like “BAAACBAB”, for which the winner is A. The program must read in text like this from a file, count the letters, and compare the counts to determine a result. Each input text example is different, and therefore so is the correct winner.

Contest Format

The contest is taken over a 3-hour time period. It has Intermediate and Senior divisions based on grade level (up to grade 10 and 12, respectively), but these only affect awards recognition at the end; the test itself is the same. Like the CCC, the problems generally follow a progression of increasing difficulty, so even beginner students may be able to solve the first couple of problems, while experienced competitors will often be able to complete the first few very quickly and spend most of their time on harder problems. Students can work strategically over the course of a contest round, and come back to earlier problems to revise them if they only got partial credit on the first few tries.

The Australian Olympiad is given every August, which is very convenient for students whose preeminent national competitions (USACO, CCC, and ACSL) are not offered during summer break in the northern hemisphere. It’s a great way to stay sharp and build your programming skills over the whole year, and of course, an additional opportunity to receive recognition. This year, KTBYTE students will take the competition at 7pm US Eastern Time on August 28 (note that this is indeed August 29 in Australian time, the date you will see on the official website), so mark your calendars now!

Getting Registered

In order to participate in the AIO students must register through a registered school in order to participate in the live competition, so make sure to let us know as soon as possible if you’d like to participate with KTBYTE! You have a few options for participating in the AIO this year with KTBYTE:

1. Enroll in the AIO Competition Preparation Class: This intensive class offers practice and preparation specifically for the AIO competition. AIO Comp Prep
2. Enroll in the AIO Support Class: This class will guide students on how to participate in the AIO competition. AIO Support Class Link

Or email us at [email protected] if you’d like to talk more about the competition.

If you’d like you can dive into the practice site right now, to get a sense of past contests and warm up your problem-solving skills. You’ll fill out a simple registration form at https://orac2.info/accounts/register/ and then access past AIO problems at https://orac2.info/hub/aio/ – you can also look at the list without logging in. Your login will let you submit multiple solutions, get used to using the interface of the website, and track your progress working through past problems for practice.

Solving Problems

Working through problems requires the same skills as solving USACO, CCC, and ACSL programming problems. You’ll have to carefully think about the task given, break it down into logical steps, and implement them. Beforehand, you’ll want to review the specific way to read input and output in your programming language to be sure you can implement it correctly, so make sure to submit some practice problems early to make sure you’re learning the right approach! After the main implementation, you’ll want to think about what possible data sets could come up based on the problem description, and test and debug your program for several of them. For higher-level problems, you’ll need to also think about the efficiency of your approach – skills you can learn about in our USACO training classes, which apply equally well to the other national competitions.

We recommend using Java for most of our students since they are most familiar with it and it works well for competitions. If you haven’t already, install the Java JDK from https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/downloads/ then install Eclipse from https://www.eclipse.org/downloads/. Next, there are a couple details to know about while implementing code in Java.

1. When you submit a solution, it must use the “default package”, meaning that no package line appears at the top of your .java file. This is easily done by ensuring the package line is blank when making a “new class” in Eclipse or another code editor.
2. You must read and write data to files named after each problem, such as “elecin.txt” and “elecout.txt” for the “Election II” problem (available on the practice site). Students who have taken our competition prep classes probably know a few methods to do this already, but in this contest, you don’t even need to memorize one! The website itself gives you a “template” you can fill in, such as https://orac2.info/problem/aio22election/attachment_in_browser/election.java for the “Election II” problem. If you plan to use it, make sure to study it and get to know how its classes and methods work before the contest. You may need to use String functions as well as Integer.parseInt in combination with this code. Remember, it’s also fine to use classes we’ve seen in KTBYTE classes like Scanner, StringTokenizer, or PrintWriter if you prefer them instead.
3. The Java class you create for each problem must be called Solution and therefore must be saved in a file called Solution.java. This can make keeping an archive of your solutions a little confusing since all files have the same name! One easy way to handle this is to make packages labeled by the individual problem name, like “electionII”, and drag your completed solutions from the default package into the named one, once you’re finished testing and submitting your code to the website.

You’ll submit your practice solutions to the website via the “Submissions” tab above any problem listing. (It can be nice to open the submissions tab and the problem description separately, so you can look at the description while debugging and resubmitting multiple attempts.) You can upload a file, or perhaps even easier, you can copy your code from Eclipse and paste it into the website! Make sure to choose the correct programming language, such as Java, then press the submit button.

You’ll see a list of subtasks – sets of test cases with similar data, each of which is scored separately – and a bar next to each of them which the site fills in with color codes as your program is tested on each case. Like the CCC, you must get ALL test cases in a subtask correct to get credit for that subtask, but you can get partial credit on the overall problem with a program that works for some subtasks but not others.

If your results aren’t perfect right away, you’ll need to brainstorm more test cases and make sure your program is completely debugged. The later subtasks may also require higher-efficiency solutions. Refine it as much as you can, then move on to the next problem. Remember, problems 4-6 of any contest will be MUCH harder than 1-3, and very few students solve problems 5 or 6 in a given year, so don’t hesitate to go back through earlier years for additional practice, rather than trying to complete every single problem each time.

Additional Resources

Several activities can help you improve your competitive programming skills. KTBYTE classes include a competition prep course designed around the style of AIO testing and using previous AIO Problmes called AIO Comp Prep. Please contact us ([email protected]) or sign up for a consultation about our courses or if you have more questions about participating in the AIO.

Contests are a great way to refine your problem solving ability and help push you to find more creative solutions with code. CCC, ACSL, and USACO vary in schedule and difficulty, but are all worthwhile to try! Leetcode, a general “online judge” problem site, is also a great resource – just make sure to filter the difficult to a level you can build from (https://leetcode.com/problemset/all/). And, the USACO website itself has a great listing of training resources, especially for more advanced students (http://usaco.org/index.php?page=resources).

And we’re off…

Good luck in your preparation and practice for AIO 2025, just a month or so away! Don’t forget to choose one of our registration options so we can make sure we order a test for you!

Remember, it’s okay to be anywhere from a beginner to a competition expert. Use this time to get a sense of the basics through the practice site, and you’ll be building your skills for the future, even if you find it difficult to start with! However, many of our students who have worked with our short-answer homework problems will find the first problem or two in the contest manageable, once you get used to the problem format.

Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions or concerns!

His journey with KTBYTE has been nothing short of extraordinary. From mastering the intricacies of LEGO Mindstorms to exploring the endless possibilities of Raspberry Pi, Jason’s dedication to learning and innovation has been unwavering. His participation in NNE-IC was a testament to his hard work and dedication, showcasing his ability to translate classroom learning into real-world solutions.

His award-winning project Sortbot is an automatic trash sorting device consisting of a series of servo motors and camera powered by a raspberry pi microcontroller. It is meant to be attached to the top of both a trash and recycling bin. When someone throws something away, the Raspberry Pi camera will identify the object as either trash or recycling using AI. Once the object is identified, the servo motors will be given the task to bring the flap of the bin down, and back up again so that the object can fall into the correct bin.

This invention works by having the Raspberry Pi, a mini computer, use machine learning and deep neural networks to classify the object placed inside. Using that information, the Python code will check whether the object falls into either category of trash or recycling. Once that is determined, the program tells the corresponding servo motor to move the flap of the bin down, and back up again so that the object is deposited in the correct bin.

Jason’s award-winning project truly captured the essence of his dedication and vision. Inspired by the pressing issue of global climate change Jason delved into research, uncovering the connection between climate change and excess waste. His project, born out of a desire to make a difference, aims to raise awareness about global warming and promote responsible waste management. Jason is exciged to bring this project to U.S. Nationals 2024 in June!

As we celebrate Jason’s achievements, we are reminded of the transformative power of education and the boundless potential of young minds. His success serves as a testament to the values of perseverance, innovation, and dedication that we strive to instill in all our students at KTBYTE. We congratulate Jason on his remarkable achievement and look forward to witnessing his continued success as he continues to make a positive impact on the world through technology.

Congratulations to David Zhou, a standout member of our Advanced Robotics Club at KTBYTE, for his remarkable achievement in winning first place in grade 7-12 and the Home Improvement Award at the 2024 Northern New England Invention Convention (NNE-IC). David’s dedication, creativity, and passion for innovation exemplify the values we strive to instill in our students, and his success is a testament to his hard work and ingenuity.

David’s computer science journey

David’s journey into the world of robotics and coding with KTBYTE began in 2019 when he was only 8 years old. He started working with block based code to begin understanding concepts and soon transitioned to using typed out code. Since beginning with code David has shown tremendous growth starting out at CORE2a and now working on USACO Bronze material.

David has shown a special interest in robotics, and he has over 2 years of experience with different platforms. Starting with the Arduino platform used in our clubs, he has also used robotics with LEGO and attended summer camps, gradually honing his skills. His focus on Arduino for his invention underscores his dedication to mastering different aspects of robotics, with plans to explore more technologies like Raspberry Pi in the future.

Throughout his time in KTBYTE’s robotics program, David found joy in problem-solving and the satisfaction of overcoming challenges. The guidance of our instructors allowed him to navigate complexities and find solutions. His hard work resulted in an award winning robot and presentation with the judges at NNE-IC.

The Auto Door

His project, inspired by the need for practical solutions in everyday life, aims to address the inconvenience of closing doors remotely, with potential applications in various settings, including business meetings, and to create more accessible spaces for all people.

David’s invention, the Auto Door, is a testament to his ingenuity and problem-solving skills. Designed to offer convenience and accessibility, the Auto Door utilizes Arduino technology to remotely close doors, eliminating the need for individuals to physically close them. Inspired by his own experiences during online classes amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, David identified a common problem and sought to provide a practical solution that could benefit individuals in various scenarios.

The project presented several challenges for David, including power management and coding complexities. However, his determination to overcome these obstacles ultimately led to the development of a unique and innovative solution. By addressing a common everyday problem with creativity and technical expertise, David’s Auto Door has the potential to make a significant impact on society, particularly for individuals with disabilities or mobility issues.

The Future

Looking ahead, David is dedicated to further refining his invention and he will bring this project to U.S. Nationals 2024 in June. His participation in the national competition represents not only an opportunity to showcase his work but also a chance to make connections and broaden his horizons. With a focus on personal growth and impactful contributions to society, David’s journey is poised to inspire and innovate for years to come.

Greetings! We’re excited to share a summary from a recent interview between our Managing Director and Website Planet. Titled: Bridging the Educational Divide: Marc Bucchieri on KTBYTE’s Tailored Approach to Computer Science Learning this interview touched on KTBYTE’s unique approach to computer science (CS) education, our range of courses, and the real world applications of learning CS at any age. Parents, buckle up for an inside look at what makes KTBYTE’s computer science education truly stand out.

About Website Planet:

Website plane is a hot spot for reviews, interviews and more. This site is dedicated to finding and interviewing reliable sources on common topics. From educational content to guides on various platforms Website Planet has it all. We truly enjoyed the opportunity to speak on Computer Science since it’s all KTBYTE is about. Enjoy reading this summary and make sure to go over to their website to check out the full blog post.

Tailoring Education for All Ages:

At KTBYTE, we take pride in having tailoried our computer science courses to suit learners of all ages. Our approach encompasses a spectrum from block-based learning to delving into typed out code, participating in competitions, and exploring research opportunities. We strive for a dynamic and effective learning experience that resonates with each student.

Emphasizing Core Concepts:

Beyond the realm of coding syntax, our commitment extends to nurturing computational thinking and problem-solving skills. Understanding algorithms and fostering critical thinking skills form the backbone of our educational philosophy, no matter the coding language. We believe that no matter the coding language the fundamentals of computing are the same.

Comprehensive Range of Courses:

Diversity is our strength. From foundational block-based learning to advanced Java or Python courses, our curriculum spans a wide spectrum to cater to individual goals. We prioritize courses to ensure students are well-equipped for success in their chosen field of study. Our curriculum is designed to ensure critical thinking at all levels, even for our youngest students. 

Real-World Applications and Competitions:

We bring the real-world into the classroom. Our curriculum is not just about studying computer science; it’s about gaining practical skills and a competitive edge. Whether you’re passionately pursuing CS or exploring other disciplines, our courses are designed to empower you. Our learning tracks help students ignite passion within specific fields of computer science. Depending on a student’s interest, they can choose learning tracks that cater towards goals of research, competitive programming, or they can try a few different options in our explorations track. 

Robust Support Systems:

KTBYTE is more than a series of courses; it’s a vibrant, community-driven learning environment. With student help hours, multiple customer support channels, and access to makeup and study materials, we strive to ensure that every student feels supported on their academic journey.

Preparation for Advanced Studies and Competitions:

Our progressive CORE curriculum lays a strong foundation for university-level study. From MIT PRIMES to AP preparation, USACO competitions, and prestigious internships, we prepare our students for advanced studies and real-world challenges.

Fostering Intrinsic Motivation:

At KTBYTE, our goal is to cultivate a love for learning at every level. It’s more than just coding; it’s about creating self-motivated learners who excel in critical thinking and problem-solving, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of curiosity and growth.

Conclusion:

As we wrap up this journey into the heart of KTBYTE, remember that this is just a summary, there’s more to read in the full interview. Ready to embark on your computer science journey? Explore our courses, connect with our community, and discover firsthand why KTBYTE is at the forefront of revolutionizing computer science education. Let’s code the future together!