Programming is changing the way our world functions. Almost every industry nowadays relies on complex algorithms and code to operate. Farmers use programs to determine when and where to plant crops. Editors use them to help decide what articles to publish and in what order. Coding has become a basis in almost every modern field of work. That is why whether you are planning to become an engineer or a doctor, you should learn how to code. At the GNSHS Programming Club, we will welcome any student regardless of his or her career path, for that very reason. A coding club will bring unprecedented benefits to both the school and its students.

The demand for programmers currently far exceed the supply. Large companies such as Apple and Microsoft stress good working conditions and exercise high pay to experienced programmers. This demand will only grow, and it's becoming obvious that programming is one of the best jobs one can have. Great Neck South High School does indeed feature two programming classes, but students attending those classes often don't have the opportunity to implement what they learned. We believe that a programming club will bring out the maximum potential in our students and peak their interest in programming.

If programmers practice, well, programming, they are bound to become more adept at it. Programmers are masters at solving problems. The methods and concepts they learn and discover through practice and collaboration will start to overlap into their lives. Coding will teach students how to think and analyze a situation beforehand. This will change how an individual approaches a problem in school, and in turn be able to produce a number of logical solutions. For example, I believe that aspects of programming helped me greatly in Geometry. Prior to learning how to code, I was accustomed to rushing through problems and skipping steps. Coding complex programs helped me understand that planning out a logical solution to the task was the best path to take. The statement-reason proofs in Geometry required me to list out every step I took in solving the problem, as well as organize a plan before putting pencil to paper. Had it not been for programming, this extreme transition from impulsive actions to systematically organized ones would have been too much for me to manage.

Not many students applying to college can say that they have designed and programmed an app. Even less can brag about winning the first place prize in the Computing Olympiad. In the GNSHS programming club, we will aim to develop at least two apps by the end of the year. These apps will be either for Android or IOS phones. Individual projects are allowed, but we encourage students to work together and receive different opinions in the creation of their app. The USA Computing Olympiad (USACO) is a monthly web-based contest where students are presented with a problem and must submit a program that can solve it. Around 16 students are chosen at the end of six contests to go to a training camp at Clemson University. Successful app creations and favorable results in USACO will not only improve the students' transcripts, but also the school's reputation.

The foremost reason to install a computer club into our school is simply popularity. The primary goal of a club is to cater to as many students as possible, all the while striving to introduce new members. Unlike several groups in our school, the Programming Club would have no trouble with membership, and even less trouble catering to new people. Who in modern society has not become familiarized with the computer, and adept at manipulating it for personal gain. The casual computer lover would join simply because coding is one of society’s newest buzz words. A majority of the Intro to Programming class would join, a class that, may I add, has an incredibly large number of people signed up. And finally, the resources required to finally initiate this club are already in place: computers. All we need for this club is a computer room: there are several rooms in this school that fulfill that purpose, and any teacher who is willing to host us. We merely ask that, by taking a look at the large number of people willing to join the club, the scholarly interest that said club would promote in the masses of Great Neck South High School, and the feasibility of maintaining one, you acknowledge that a computer club is effortless to start, and a source of countless benefits, enumerated above.

Programming is becoming a revolutionary force. Students must be given more support to learn and practice this art. An environment that provides this will not only have positive impacts on the children but also the school. Great Neck South High offers classes to learn how to program, but a club will allow students to use what they learn. Those who have both have knowledge of coding and are able to implement it will soon have one of the greatest powers in the world.

Links to read/watch -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKIu9yen5nc

http://www.businessinsider.com/be-a-software-programmer-not-a-doctor-2014-2

http://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2012/06/21/why-is-being-a-programmer-a-good-career-choice/