Kevin is a Stanford sophomore studying Computer Science and a Bay Area native. Like many of our mentors, he started programming in high school and enjoyed it so much he decided to keep with the subject through college. With Breakout Mentors he weekly guides two middle-school students through the fun process of learning to program in Java. Let’s hear more from Kevin:
When did you start programming?
I started programming during my junior year of high school, when I took my first programming course in Java. My strong interest in math made computer science a perfect fit for me, and I was immediately amazed by its power and practicality. My strong interest in video games didn’t hurt either.
Why is it important for kids to start programming when young?
Learning to program helps to develop useful problem-solving and analytical skills. These will be invaluable for any student, and will be even more beneficial for his or her future if developed while young. I honestly wish that I myself had started to learn about programming a few years earlier.
What advice to you have to kids learning how to program?
The best advice I can give is to work on some projects of your own. If you have an idea for something creative and cool, just try it! You’ll have a lot more fun, you’ll be much more motivated to do a good job, and you’ll come away with much more knowledge and experience than before.