"It's challenging -- but it's also fun:" High school computer science competition held on MU campus

“It`s challenging but it`s also fun:” High school computer science competition held on MU campus

"It`s challenging but it`s also fun:" High school computer science competition held on MU campus

MILWAUKEE -- More than 250 Wisconsin high school students on Wednesday, April 13th put their computer knowledge to use at Marquette University.

Balloons inside Cudahy Hall at Marquette University on Wednesday represented a question or puzzle completed by a team.

High school Computer Science Programming Competition held at Marquette University

"We're going really fast in there!" Emily Gehrke, a Whitefish Bay High School student said.

"It's challenging -- but it's also fun," Dineth Gunawardena, a student at Whitewater High School said.

High school Computer Science Programming Competition held at Marquette University

Each team in this "Computer Science Programming Competition" was composed of students from high schools in Wisconsin.

Dennis Brylow, associate professor of mathematics, statistics and computer sciences at MU

"From as far away as Baraboo, Verona and Whitewater, as well as many here in the Milwaukee area," Dennis Brylow, associate professor of mathematics, statistics and computer sciences at MU said.

MU staff and students were also involved in the event -- surveying the rooms, judging and even being involved in the questions themselves.

"We try to build puzzles at the fundamental constructs of computer science that will true even five, ten years from now," Brylow said.

University officials said they hope the event brings more enthusiasm to the field of computer science.

High school Computer Science Programming Competition held at Marquette University

"I definitely want to do something in college with computer science," Gehrke said.

"I was thinking something around engineering and maybe a computer minor," Gunawardena said.

It didn't hurt that there were prizes (most of them technology themed, like high-tech keyboards, a USB-powered rocket launcher and drones) and trophies to claim at the end of the challenge.

"There's a lot more motivation to get it done than just in the classroom, we're really pushing towards the goal and it's a lot of fun," Gehrke said.

High school Computer Science Programming Competition held at Marquette University