UMD Organizes 35th Annual High School Programming Contest

The University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science welcomed high school students across the Washington, D.C., area on Saturday, February 8, 2025, for the 35th Annual High School Programming Contest (HSPC) at the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering.

120 students from 28 high schools participated in the three-hour programming competition. Each school was permitted to send one team of four students, who worked together to solve algorithmic and programming challenges under a time constraint. Teams were evaluated based on the correctness of their solutions, with submission speed serving as a tiebreaker.

The top five teams were:

• 1st place: Thomas Jefferson High School, Alexandria, Virginia
• 2nd place: Academies of Loudoun, Leesburg, Virginia
• 3rd place: Centennial High School, Ellicott City, Maryland
• 4th place: Sidwell Friends School, Bethesda, Maryland
• 5th place: Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville, Maryland

This year’s challenges were designed and judged by a team led by Computer Science Assistant Professor Laxman Dhulipala, the contest’s director.

HSPC organizers worked behind the scenes to ensure a smooth and engaging competition. They created a set of challenges designed to test problem-solving skills at various levels. Dhulipala highlighted the collaborative effort behind the event and its significance for participants.

“I hope students at all stages of development in their computer science careers enjoyed the problems we set for them,” Dhulipala said. “The problems were assembled by a diverse group, including faculty members and undergraduates at UMD, as well as one student who previously participated in the contest and has now returned to help run it.”

The event kicked off with a morning practice session, giving teams the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the competition format. This was followed by a three-hour contest that challenged participants to apply algorithmic thinking and debugging skills, mirroring real-world problem-solving scenarios in computer science.

Stephen Zhang, a Montgomery Blair High School senior, emphasized the importance of teamwork in programming competitions.

“I prepared for this contest by practicing with similar problems on platforms like the USA Computing Olympiad and Codeforces,” Zhang said. “In the competition, we communicated well about who worked on which problem. Since there was only one computer, it was essential to rotate responsibilities efficiently. While one person coded, others analyzed the problems and considered potential solutions.”

Zhang also reflected on his team's problem-solving challenges, describing the experience as a learning opportunity.

“The biggest challenge we faced today was debugging our solutions. For many problems, we thought we had working solutions in theory, but once we coded them, we ran into issues we couldn’t resolve,” Zhang said. “Some we managed to fix by carefully reviewing the code and identifying edge cases, but others remained unsolved despite our best efforts. Still, the time spent proved to be a valuable learning experience.”

Benita Xavier, a Falls Church High School senior, reflected on her experience in the competition.

“My favorite part was the start when we were all focused. The problems were fresh, and we worked together to brainstorm solutions,” Xavier said. “That first hour went by quickly, but we learned so much.”

According to Xavier, the competition also demonstrated the interdisciplinary nature of programming.

“The questions showed me how much there is to learn,” Xavier shared. “A lot of the problems involved math and geometry, which made me realize that coding isn’t just its own separate field—it connects with many different areas. It made me want to practice more and learn new techniques.”

The event concluded with participants gathering in the lobby for refreshments before going to the Antonov Auditorium for the award ceremony. As programming competitions continue to challenge and inspire students, events like HSPC remain valuable for those looking to sharpen their problem-solving skills and deepen their interest in computer science.

Dhulipala offered advice to students who were considering future competitions.

“I would tell them to keep practicing and to focus on enjoying problem-solving,” Dhulipala said. “They shouldn’t worry about how many problems they’ve solved or how they compare to others. Competitive programming is about pushing yourself to become a better thinker and programmer.”

For more pictures from the event, click HERE.

—Story by Samuel Malede Zewdu, CS Communications