Hello all. This year, if my principal lets me, I'm going to try to start a programming club at my high school. There are about 200 kids/grade. We will work on projects and have programming contests.

We will probably be programming in C++. We'll start with console applications, I think.

Does anyone have ideas about contests or projects that we could do as a club? I want to start with some easy projects that will have cool results, and then get on with more serious things. And the contests have to be simple, too.

Thank you very much for your help!

Bring them to this site! :)

You could use the C LG, I guess?

What's the C LG?

C Learning Group. TPU resently started Learning Groups for C, Java, Python and Scheme. They have links on where to download the software for the languages, links to ebooks and tutorials on the languages, and message board for each of LGs to post questions.

Ok I know what a learning group is--I just wasn't familiar with the abbreviation. thank you for clarifying

I wouldn't be so brave to do that - I still get the piss taken out of me for running a sci-fi club for one term in first year(Im fifth now)

But congratulations to you on your bravery.

Maybe I'll start one next year, when Im a senior - html and javascript for first and second years.

Anyone who wants can start clubs at school? Or can only grade 12 people start clubs?

i started a computer club at school in 10th grade, http://www.ghfpro.com/tera256/, but it probably all depends on the school.

There'd be no problem in our school, other than I'd loose more respect from other kids than'd be worth it.

That would be cool to have a programming club in school, but since I don't go to school I guess it wouln't work to well for me.

I'm going into 10th grade, and my guidance counselor said that I could start the club, so I guess that in my school, you don't have to be a certain age.

Does anyone have suggestions as to what we could do in the club?

Umh ... Computers ... I suggest the older ones try to get the younger kids in the school into programming. We need to get more into this social life sucking cult

people are attracted to it though because they already don't have a social life.

I have a small social life...I wonder if Mary Jo is free friday...(I > all of you)

Mmmm Mycroft i like your site...good idea, to make a website for the club

I've a social life, it just happens to lay somewhere around here underneat all those computer related material.

The biggest problem with a high school computer club is that the people who create it have the most passion for it, once they leave the club usually crumbles to dust. Another problem is that the average computer club member is too lazy to try to teach other people about what they know. Computer nerds(for lack of a better term) tend to be somewhat anti-social and unwilling to communicate with others. And finally computer clubs need computers, the only way to really get any is bring your own because public schools don't just give away computers and you can't use theirs because they have strict regs on how the computer can be used, what programs can be put on them, and the level of internet access.

okay

At my school there is a computer club but it's more centered at the UIL level where it deals with written tests and programming contests. We don't do a lot of huge programming projects but more like little short ones...the kind that you can do in about 15- 60 minutes, but they are still challenging. I'm not sure if you can do this without teacher support, but you can try. Of course we usually try to get a practice test done, but since most members are too lazy to do it, we end up playing Wolfenstein and Quake...

*Shrugs* ; I wish there was a computer club in our school