#CodingLabStudents: Tan Zheng Kai, 12, Gold Winner, HCIC 2022
Here at Coding Lab, we aim to nurture future leaders in technology and it is always exciting to celebrate our fantastic students’ achievements. Today, we have Tan Zheng Kai, 12, with us, who has done us proud by achieving a Gold Award at the Hwa Chong Infocomm Challenge (HCIC) 2022!
His coding journey began when he was 10 years old, so it is even more amazing to see him progress so much and clinch an award in this highly reputable competition in just 2 years! Let us now hear from Zheng Kai directly about his coding journey.
"Coding is an important skillset to have as we are setting foot into a new era. As we enter a new era, technology will increasingly become part of our daily lives. From our phones to electronic smartwatches, coding will be used everywhere, so it will definitely be a skillset that you can benefit a lot from."
Here is Zheng Kai, an avid sci-fi fan, gamer, and coder!
Hi Zheng Kai, tell us about yourself! What do you like to do in your free time?
During my free time, I indulge myself in many activities. For instance, I love to play video games. Occasionally, I also watch videos related to video games and coding. My favourite genre of books is sci-fiction.
Congratulations on winning the Gold Award at the HCIC! How do you feel about your achievement?
I am thankful for having managed to clinch this award but I feel that I must continue to work hard and try to improve my skills further. There is always room for improvement after all.
How was your HCIC experience? What have you learnt? What was the best part of it?
I feel that the experience was a very educational one as I learnt a lot about robotics. Before that, I was focusing more on python and did not get a lot of practise on it. However, in the process of preparing for the competition, I learnt how to familiarise with this unknown topic and it really widened my horizons!
Once he got started, there was no looking back! Zheng Kai explored his interest in programming when he was 10 and is now a driven and brilliant coder with competition wins under his belt!
How did you first get started with coding?
I first started with coding when I was 10 years old. It was the December holidays when I came across a coding youtuber. He really inspired me and my dad decided to sign me up for a python crash course. That was the start of my love for coding. After sparking my interest, I then decided to pick up programming as a skill.
What do you like about coding? How has coding made a difference in your life?
There are many different points that I like about coding. For a start, it is a really good way to let your hair down after a day of hectic studying. Furthermore, coding is also an important skillset to have as we are setting foot into a new era.
What are some difficulties that you faced while learning to code and how did you overcome it?
To be honest, the hardest part about programming is the start. Everything seems foreign to you and you do not know what to do and where to start. Thankfully, my tutors were very organised and managed to keep me on the right track.
How did you find your coding lessons?
I really enjoy my lessons! Special thanks to my tutor Teacher Edmund, who was always very supportive and helpful. His extensive knowledge of coding was also very useful in pointing me in the right direction.
"Zheng Kai is a responsible student who takes charge of his own learning. He always tries his best to attempt the questions given before seeking help. He has built up a strong and stable foundation in coding which gives him an edge in tackle challenging questions."
- Educator Edmund
Why do you think learning to code is so important?
As we enter a new era, technology will become more ubiquitous in our daily lives. From our phones, to electronic smartwatches, coding will be used everywhere. Hence, this will definitely be a skillset in which you can benefit a lot from.
What are you coding right now? Any exciting future coding projects or dream project that you want to mention?
Zheng Kai hopes that everyone will not give up on coding just because it may seem difficult. Then, you will be able to make amazing creations that can help society!
Currently, I am trying to program a 2D horror game with my friends but it is still work in progress and I hope to continue it in the future when I get to know more about 3D game developing.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
When I grow up, I either want to be a computer developer or a programmer as I wish to do something which I enjoy doing while helping the society.
Do you have any advice for young people like you who are learning to code?
My only advice is just to work hard and not give up easily. If you have a good attitude, anything is possible!
Thank you, Zheng Kai, for sharing with us how your coding journey has impacted your life, as well as your words of wisdom for aspiring coders! We hope that Zheng Kai’s story has inspired you to kickstart your child’s interest in coding!
Zheng Kai started off with our App Inventor and Python Junior classes when he was 10 years old, and has advanced to our P21S Advanced Computer Scientists course, where he has shown great progress as of 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!
Read Next: Coding Lab Student Feature: Aidan Sin, 12, Platinum Award Winner, HCIC 2022
Read Next: Coding Lab Student Feature: Evan Chua, 12, Gold Award Winner, HCIC 2022
(Written by Thinzar)