As students go through high school, they start to figure out what they want to do in life.

For senior Ally Warren, that career is computer programming, and it was competing in UIL and the classes she took at school that helped her discover that.

“I decided on computer programming for my major in college because of the classes I’ve taken with Mrs. [Mika] Morgan,” Ally said. “They were super interesting and engaging to me. These classes also led me to entering the event for UIL. Turns out I’m really good at it.”
Ally said that for her, the appeal is all about the satisfaction of doing the math and figuring out answers to the questions.

“I really like finding a solution to the problems,” Ally said. “The feeling of accomplishment I get when I complete a problem or correctly write a line of code is exciting for me. It makes me want to tackle more and more problems.”

The computer programming classes taught Ally all the basics of the trade, and they also prepared her for how the UIL event works.

“First you have to learn a specific language,” Ally said. “Mrs. Morgan taught us Java because that’s the language UIL uses. Then we figure out what we want to make and how to make it, and we plan out the specific steps required. Finally, we execute it by writing out the code.”

The UIL competition is practice for Ally, and it helps her keep the knowledge fresh, well also helping her to improve.

“Competing against other schools at a fast pace can be nerve-racking,” Ally said. “But it’s really useful for me to practice computer programming in that environment. It really helps me focus better as well as honing in on my skills in the field.”

Ally said that while she competes for the practice, she also competes for the scholarships that are offered to state competitors.

“I’m really hoping to do so well I score a scholarship for computer programming,” Ally said. “They’d really help me out a lot with the courses offered at Midwestern State University, the college that I plan to attend.”

Going to college for computer programming also gives Ally the opportunity for a better and more high-paying job when she graduates.

“Computer programming holds a lot of power in the job market,” Ally said. “They also get paid really well, so it’s a great bonus to do what I love and get paid good money for it as well.”

She also enjoys the trade because it gives her the chance to do anything she wants on a computer.

“Writing code gives me the freedom I like to have when I’m in class,” Ally said. “I’m really excited to pursue computer programming and am looking forward to doing some cool things in the field.”