Elaina Xaio has been enrolled in the Introduction to Programming Pre-Collegiate Studies course at Stanford University. Classes were held online via Zoom sessions and Elaina worked with classmates from around the globe.
Elaina describes her first week at Stanford. “I have attended one week of Introduction to Programming at Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies, and it has already been such a different experience than what I expected. Firstly, we have a two-hour zoom from 6-8 pm. The zoom is every day except on the weekends. I’ve met all my peers as well as the professor, and that has definitely been interesting. There are people from China, Korea, India, Mumbai, California, and so many more places. People are eating breakfast after I’ve already eaten dinner, which is something I never thought about until this program,” Elaina reports.
“The workload has been manageable but also challenging. We get about four problems each night that is due the next day. Coding always takes a lot of trial and error, so it takes an hour or two to finish. I’ve learned a lot from the homework because it’s not hard to learn codes but it can be challenging to put everything together. I’ve never been able to take a coding class at CCHS so it has been very new and challenging,” Elaina adds.
Elaina was amazed at how much she learned in just her first week, such as “if-then” statements, sorting lists, creating games, and more. Although her course has been challenging at times, Elaina says it has been a great learning experience. She has also attended a virtual talent show, and an admissions talk.
“It is astounding how much I have learned since the camp started. My patience has been tested more than usual, as well as my determination. By 6 pm, I’m usually ready to wind down but instead, have a two-hour class,” Elaina explains.
After competing the course, Elaina describes it as an incredible experience. “I have learned so much, including animations, guessing games, and even making a clock! My professor, Dr. Thana, goes far below the surface. He explained how computers actually compute, including multiplication, division, and all the parts in the machine. He always said, ‘Computers are very dumb, yet we are afraid of them,’” Elaina says.
“One key lesson I learned from the class that I haven’t learned anywhere else is how to make a code efficiently. It is easier to sometimes code projects in a way that is very long but simpler, although there is usually a way to make the code shorter and a little more complicated. I’ve learned how to cut a code down from 30+ lines to less than 10,” Elaina adds.
Although Elaina’s homework became increasingly more difficult, her professor was available to help. “By the end of the course, we could program bouncing balls and a working clock. We learned how to draw figures like smiley faces and 3-D figures,” Elaina reports.
“At the commencement, it finally hit me that I had finished and it was quiet bittersweet. I was very excited that I had completed such a challenging course, but I enjoyed the structure of the program, meeting all my peers, and learning material I never even knew was possible to program. I am so thankful for the Garwin Family Foundation for making this all possible. It was truly an experience that I will undoubtedly cherish,” Elaina says.
>> Read Elaina Xaio’s Final Report (PDF file, 56KB).
>> Learn about other students’ experiences in the GFF Scholarship Program.
