Predict Grade (commits) Predict Grade (commits) Predict Grade (commits)

Showcasing My Projects at Night at the Museum 🎉

June 2025 • Student Developer Journal

This year in AP Computer Science Principles has been nothing short of transformative. I walked in knowing the basics—and walked out having built full-stack applications that solve real problems. Our final milestone? Night at the Museum.

It wasn’t your average school event. Picture a tech expo meets community open house: every project on display, every student ready to explain, debug, and demo in real time. No pressure, right?

From Idea to Interaction

I showcased two major projects:

  • Pyre — our wildfire prediction and response planning chatbot
  • Pawnsy — a full-stack chess training platform powered by a custom skills API

Both started with a problem and grew through months of design, coding, feedback, more coding, and iteration (plus caffeine). Getting to finally share them with visitors—parents, peers, teachers, and total strangers—was surreal.

Some highlights:
✔️ Watching a fifth grader play Pawnsy and instantly understand the analysis system
✔️ Hearing an adult say, “Wait, you built this?”
✔️ Answering questions about backend architecture like it was second nature

It reminded me: software is never just for developers. It’s for people.

Lessons on Display

Beyond the projects, the event was a crash course in communication:

  • Explain clearly (no buzzwords, no babble)
  • Show, don’t just tell
  • Listen to feedback—some of the best ideas come from fresh eyes

More than just a grade, this was a chance to own the work. To represent the team. To stand behind the code.

Gratitude & Growth

Major thanks to Mr. Mortensen and Ms. Pataki for pushing us to think critically, code confidently, and never settle for “good enough.” Their insistence on iteration, reflection, and real-world relevance made the class feel more like a dev internship than a high school course.

Final Thoughts

Night at the Museum wasn’t just a showcase. It was a celebration—of progress, persistence, and possibility. I walked out not just proud of the work, but excited for what’s next.

🚀 On to more building, more learning, and more late nights staring at bug logs.

Photo from the event coming soon… stay tuned!