We love seeing our students shine and grow as they develop their coding skills and discover how they can find success through coding! Meet one of them today: our student Aidan Sin, age 12, who won the Platinum Award (the highest honour) at the Hwa Chong Infocomm Challenge (HCIC) 2022!

Meet Aidan Sin, who enjoys challenging himself through various coding challenges, even applying his knowledge of Mathematics to his programs!

Aidan found his passion and confidence for programming at Coding Lab, and has recently completed our advanced S100 Python Classes during the holidays! He particularly enjoys integrating his knowledge of mathematics in his coding projects, and has shared with the Coding Lab Team about his fascination with the limitless possibilities that coding provides! There are so many ways to approach a coding challenge, which enables him to let his creativity and imagination flow!

They are impressed by the projects I have made! Coding is also complementary with my interest in maths and problem-solving. Now, it is pretty common for kids to pick up coding skills; once a coder, with passion - always a coder.

Hi Aidan, tell us about yourself! What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Hi! I am Aidan Sin, a keen learner with an inquisitive mind. I am 12 this year. ​During my free time, I enjoy playing English Chess, Chinese Chess and Wei Qi as these games relax me.

I also like watching Youtube videos relating to maths puzzles, science facts, solving complex video games as well as strategy techniques (eg. 孙子兵法， 三十六计，三国演义 etc). I like to think about perplexing problems and take on challenges. When I come up with an idea, I like to code it into Python and see if it would work. To further challenge myself, I incorporated Maths into it as well!

What do your friends and family say when they hear that you are a coder?

My family members are intrigued when I said I started coding at 7 years old. They are impressed by the projects I have made! Coding is also complementary with my interest in maths and problem-solving. Now, it is pretty common for kids to pick up coding skills; once a coder, with passion - always a coder.

Congratulations on winning the Platinum Award at the Hwa Chong Infocomm Challenge (HCIC)! How do you feel about your achievement?

I am pleased with myself after winning the Platinum Award at the Hwa Chong Infocomm Challenge (HCIC). I know that getting this award is no easy task as I put in a lot of time and hardwork in preparing for HCIC.

Aidan has won awards outside of coding as well!

How was your HCIC experience? What have you learned? What was the best part of it?

The HCIC experience was relatively simple: I stayed back in school, took the test on a computer, and went back home. The best part of the experience was meeting up with old friends. Most of my friends that I knew were either in other classes or were too busy with schoolwork so during this short period before taking the test, I could catch up and have a chat with them.

Tell us how you first got started with coding!

I started my coding journey when I was in Lower Primary 2. During that time, my Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) was Robotics. I was using the Lego Mindstorm to build a robot. Apart from constructing and adding features to it, I was able to use the computer to enable the robot to complete a certain task using code. At first, I was unfamiliar with this coding language but slowly, with the help of my peers, I was finally able to use it! I was even able to represent my school and participated in a National Robotics School Competition with my team.

Subsequently, I discovered Scratch where I started coding more programs. When these programs worked, I was overjoyed! Personally, I see Coding as a vast grassland. With the programs I built, it felt like as I added more houses to the civilisation that I built, it helped others while also benefiting myself.

Aidan is pictured with his parents, who signed him up for Coding Lab's classes and supported him in his journey in coding!

How did you get started at Coding Lab?

Since I was super interested in coding, my mother searched the web and found Coding Lab. The lessons are packed and filled with knowledge and information which I liked! The lessons were fun and progressively allowed me to challenge myself and learn accordingly. I really want to thank and appreciate Teacher Edmund, he fused fun and laughter in class. I enjoyed attending his class. With his help and preparing my DSA portfolio, I got better at coding!

What do you like about coding? How has coding made a difference to your life?

I like coding as I can use it in limitless ways and many different ways to solve a coding program. Not only am I able to use my left brain in executing the coding process but I can also use my right brain to generate new ideas for my next coding project!

Through coding, I can use both my left brain and right brain, enabling me to be more creative and innovative at the same time! It also teaches me to be patient and to think outside the box when debugging my code. These key virtues are essential during our daily lives, that is why learning to code is so important.

Here at Coding Lab, we encourage our students to engage in individualised learning and independent studying at home, especially for older or more advanced students!

What are some difficulties you faced while learning to code, and how did you overcome them?

Debugging is a tedious task. Debugging and fixing errors in my code are often the challenges that I faced in the past —- and will continue to face as long as my passion for coding continues. These obstacles can be overcome. I needed to “become the computer” and run through the entire program bit by bit until I spotted the error.

Do you have a favourite coding project that you would like to share with us?

I could make a Prime Factorisation program to help out in my Maths, or I can create a Quiz to provide entertainment to my peers!

Here is Aidan's Prime Factorisation program. He also has a website full of coding projects that he has created as part of his DSA portfolio. Check it out here!

"Aidan is an exceptional and independent student who is enthusiastic in his learning. I am especially impressed by his determination and perseverance in tackling challenges. When encountering something new, he always relishes the challenge of solving the problem by thinking about it from different perspectives."

- Educator Edmund

What are you coding right now? Do you have any exciting future coding projects or dream projects that you would like to mention?

I have not been coding much lately, as I am preparing for my PSLE. After my exams, I will be sure to start working on some interesting projects that hope to solve some complex world issues.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

My future? I aspire to combine my coding skills and maths & science knowledge to solve people’s problems around the world.

Do you have any advice for young people who are learning to code?

My advice for young people who are learning to code is to keep pursuing your dream, whatever you do, do not give up on your dream. If you work hard enough, it will come true one day.

Thank you Aidan for sharing with us about your passion for coding, and for the words of wisdom you have given for other young people who are learning to code! 🌏

We hope that you are as inspired by Aidan’s thirst for knowledge, enthusiasm for coding and love for learning as we are, and that this will motivate you to take the first step in your very own journey with code!

Aidan Sin, who turns 13 this year, was a student at Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School. He attended P201 App Inventor class at Coding Lab when he was barely 10 years old and advanced his way to our S203 Algorithm course by the time he was 12. Aidan was awarded the Platinum Award (highest honour) at the Hwa Chong Infocomm Challenge (HCIC) 2022.

Our #CodingLabStudents series features 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!

Read Next: Congratulations to our 7 winners at the Hwa Chong Infocomm Challenge 2022!

(Written by Thinzar and Gracia)