#CodingLabStudents: Lim Chen Kai, 12, HCIC 2024 Bronze Winner
Here is Chen Kai enjoying drumming!
At Coding Lab, we are proud to showcase the incredible journeys of our students who continue to push boundaries and achieve remarkable feats.
Meet Chen Kai, a talented young coder whose determination and passion for learning have led him to significant accomplishments, including the Bronze Award at the prestigious Hwa Chong Infocomm Challenge (HCIC) and a successful DSA offer to the School of Science and Technology (SST) for 2025!
From his early days with Scratch to his dedication to mastering coding languages like Python, Chen Kai’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance and curiosity. Read on to learn more about how Chen Kai overcame challenges, honed his skills, and continues to follow his coding dreams.
“When they (my parents) knew that I have a passion for coding, they did some research & found Coding Lab and that’s where I spend every day of my school holiday, attending 1 or 2 modules of coding lessons!”
Congratulations on winning an award at the HCIC! How did you feel about your achievement?
I feel relieved as I was quite stressed about the challenge before the HCIC Challenge. Before the HCIC Challenge, I hoped to win an award but at the same time, I was not fully confident as Robotics is new to me! Eventually, I still got the hang of it so I was proud of overcoming the challenge.
How was your HCIC experience? What did you learn, and what was the best part of it?
I think it was nice. During the preparation, I learnt more about Robotics. To me, the best part of it was during the HCIC preparation, when I realised I improved on the past year’s papers of the HCIC after practising a few more times. Perseverance is key!
Chen Kai racing against time at the Rubik’s Cube competition! Did you know his best time is 14 seconds for a 3×3 cube?
What was your DSA preparation like?
My DSA preparation was quite fun but also a little stressful as there were many things to prepare for my portfolio, along with studying for my Prelims and PSLE. The fun part was working & improving on my projects!
Do you have any tips for students preparing for DSA?
Do not get stressed during the DSA preparation, and do not overthink anything. Just be yourself!
How did you first get started with coding?
When I was in Primary 4, I went through this Applied Learning Programme, which was when I was introduced to Scratch. Creating games using an easy-to-understand programming language was fun, and I even created my own chasing games and platformer games! This made me want to continue to learn coding.
What do you enjoy about coding, and how has it impacted your life?
What I really enjoy about coding is when I complete the project and I get that sense of satisfaction. Coding has impacted my life by giving me a new hobby to do in my free time.
“Coding develops logical and computational thinking and it also improves problem-solving skills. Do not give up when encountering problems, and keep practising!”
How did you get started at Coding Lab?
I started going to Coding Lab at the age of 10. When my parents knew that my interest grew after learning Scratch in school, they researched and found Coding Lab. After attending the first holiday program, I persuaded my parents to sign me up during every school holiday. I would like to thank Teacher Lakshmi, my DSA coach, as she is really fun & motivating! Although I feel a little stressed when preparing for DSA, because of how she conducted the DSA preparation course & the motivation she gave to me, especially spending those few minutes with me over the phone just the week before I went for the SST STEAM Challenge, really calms me down!
Chen Kai hard at work with coding!
What challenges did you face while learning to code, and how did you overcome them?
The time I felt the most challenged during coding was when I attended the HCIC preparation course. As I had little knowledge of Robotics & Python is pretty new to me. I initially felt very stressed. However, I persevered and kept practising the past year papers and eventually, I got the hang of it!
Why do you think learning to code is important?
Coding develops logical and computational thinking and it also improves problem-solving skills. Steve Jobs once said, "Everybody should learn how to program, because it teaches you how to think."
Do you have a favourite project you'd like to share with us? Why is it your favourite?
My favourite project is a simple calculator I programmed using Python, and it is also the project I used for my DSA. While coding this, I learnt more about how to use functions.
Chen Kai enjoying one of his hobbies - playing guitar!
How do your family and friends react when they find out you know how to code?
My parents are very supportive of me. When they knew that I have a passion for coding, they did some research & found Coding Lab and that's where I spend every day of my school holiday, attending 1 or 2 modules of coding lessons! Although most people think that they should stop continuing with their hobby / passion due to preparation for PSLE, I am very appreciative that my parents are very supportive in allowing me to continue to code during the school holidays even in P6.
Aside from coding, what are your hobbies? What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
My other hobbies are playing Minecraft with my friends and playing guitar.
What are your future aspirations? What do you want to be when you grow up?
My future aspirations are to learn C++ and JavaScript and learn to code better games and programs. I want to be a game developer when I grow up!
Do you have any advice for other young people learning to code?
Do not give up when encountering problems, and keep practising.
Chen Kai’s journey highlights the importance of perseverance, passion, and the right support in learning to code. His achievements in the HCIC, coupled with his unwavering dedication to coding, inspire us all. Whether it’s improving his projects for DSA or pushing through the stress of competitions, Chen Kai’s journey proves that hard work pays off.
With his sights set on a future in game development, we are excited to see where his coding skills take him next. At Coding Lab, we are honored to be part of his journey and can’t wait to see him continue to reach new heights!
Our #CodingLabStudents blogs feature our ambitious students and their ongoing coding journeys – be it the budding coder or advanced Python Pro, we appreciate each and every single one’s efforts as they progress to greater heights. 🌱
Coding Lab offers an award-winning curriculum specially for ages 5 to 18 – check out our courses to begin your own coding journey today!
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