Eighteen Newtown High School students were inducted into the school’s chapter of the National Computer Science Honor Society on December 9.

NHS computer science teacher Kristin Violette oversaw the online ceremony, which included remarks from Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue and NHS Principal Dr Kimberly Longobucco.

Student board members are President Arav Dave, Vice President Samuel Staubly, Secretary Anthony Crisci, and Treasurer Sanjana Vakacherla.

Along with the board members, students honored during the evening event were Jackson Baimel, Connor Matthews, Elliot Lurie, Luke Steimel, Nick Tetreault, Lauren Yoder, Adam Dissa, Zack Majeski, Juan Mendez, Grace Miller, Shreyas Potnuru, Julia Scataglini, Darren Un Trang, and Siddharth Vakacherla.

Following the ceremony, some students offered comments in an e-mail.

“[Computer science] is a valuable skill and can be applied in all aspects of life. And [it is] so imperative that we educate ourselves in [computer science] for a better future,” Julia Scataglini said.

Juan Mendez said, “Anybody with a positive attitude has the ability to program and code efficiently. It’s very similar to solving a puzzle, involving the same kind of logical reasoning and planning. Do not let fear of complexity bog you down from taking a [computer science] class. Go out there and try new experiences. You may find that [computer science] is the perfect field for you.”

Zachary Majeski said, “I believe that computer science is an essential skill for anyone to have in today’s world of advanced technology. Computer science opens up a world of endless possibilities and any idea can be brought to life.”

Arav Dave said, “Computer science isn’t for computers. Computer science is for improving people’s lives by enabling them to focus on what really matters to them.”

And Samuel Staubly said, “Computer science enables us to create anything we set our minds to, and the joy of seeing our visions come to life makes it more than worth it.”