American Computer Science League (ACSL)
This is the definitive coding competition in which members of the Robotics & Coding Club participate. Students choose to enter in either the intermediate or senior division of the contest. Each month, from January to April, students must learn the limited basics of three or four topics related to computer science. Usually, the topics for a particular month overlap between the intermediate and senior divisions, but at times they do not. Then, students take a written test, consisting of 5 questions, and write a program that answers a specific prompt. Written tests are typically given during Wednesday lunch meetings, while students will have a weekend to write the program for that month. The written and programming components are each worth 5 points, meaning a student can score up to 10 points each month that the competition runs, for a maximum total of 40 points by the end of the contest. Each month, the top 5 scores from each division are sent to the national league. If HTHS' divisions score high enough by the end of the four months of competition, then the top 5 students from the qualifying division(s) are eligible to attend the All-Star Contest. These students are also eligible to win regional prizes.
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Capture the Flag (CTF)
Capture the Flag contests, otherwise known as CTFs, are meant to teach students about computer security. Using skills such as SQL injection, reverse engineering, and cryptanalysis, students learn how real-world attacks on computers can be conducted and repelled. Some popular CTFs include easyCTF, sCTF, CCTF, and picoCTF.
Google Code Jam
This extremely challenging programming competition is sponsored by Google, which used to utilize this contest to find and hire prospective software engineers. Over $80,000 in cash prizes are awarded at the international stage, with $10,000 going to the first place winner. However, do not fret if you do not make it past the Qualification Round; it will be impressive enough that you competed as a high school student!