Student Programmers Shine at DMACC’s First-Ever DCODE Competition

For the three past months, area high school students designed and programmed video games as they competed in Des Moines Area Community College's (DMACC) first annual Computer Programming Contest (DCODE).

DMACC's Information Technology Pathway Computer Science Department hosted thecontest, inviting aspiring high school programmers' to express their creative design ideas and technical abilities. The teams were instructed to create a digital emulation of the popular '90s Tamagotchi toy, including a working game program, a proposal, and a marketingflyer.

In total, six schools signed up to participate, creating 14 different teams. Seven of those teams presentedtheir completed projects for judging. Represented schools included Dallas Center-Grimes High School (Grimes), Indian Hills Junior High School (Clive), North Polk High School (Alleman), and Stilwell Junior High School (West Des Moines).

The studentsubmissions were recently judged and the winners announced:

• First Place: DCG Red (Dallas Center-Grimes) - Gabe Garland-Myer (10th), Eli Holcomb (10th), Andrew O'Neil (10th)
• Second Place: DCG White (Dallas Center-Grimes) - Jack Bryant (10th), Oliver Davidson (11th), Ahren Ervin (10th), Braden Zach (12th)

• First Place: Manna (Stilwell) - Jackson Manna (8th), Evan Rowe (8th)
• Second Place: Bradbury (Indian Hills) - Jacob Bradbury (7th)

• First Place: Curly Brackets (North Polk) - Trevor Barnett (11th), Tristan Townsend (12th), Austin Willey (11th)

The DMACC IT Pathway Computer Science Department offers associates degrees and certificates in Computer Information Systems and various computing languages. DMACC provides quality, affordable, student-centered education and training to empower our diverse communities and to serve as a catalyst for economic development.

For more information, contact: itpathway@dmacc.edu.