By Chloe Law

Staff Writer

  Imagine being given the task of cutting a large waffle into proportional pieces with an equal number of chocolate chips on each piece, what tool would you use to complete this task? While some may look towards kitchen utensils such as knives, senior Mason Liu wields the art of programming as his solution for this problem.

  Liu began programming in seventh grade and although he does not remember what prompted this interest, it plays a significant role in Liu’s life.

  “I want to create something with computers seeing as I have always been interested in technology,” explained Liu. “Programming gives me the opportunity to do that.”

  This year, Liu participated the Google Code Jam event which is an international programming competition hosted and administered by Google. The competition aims to identify top engineering talent for potential employment at Google. Participants are required to solve a set of algorithmic problems in a fixed amount of time.

  Currently, Liu is in the second round of the event, placing him amongst the 4,000 participants left of the original 35,500 competitors.

  When Liu is not programming, he is working with spreadsheets; he holds an interest in data analysis or rather analyzing trends and patterns within data. Liu is also working on a creative writing project centered around a post-apocalyptic world that is approaching 15,000 words,

  Throughout the course of high school, Liu took 12 Advanced Placement (AP) courses that are widespread amongst all departments such as AP Literature and Composition and AP Calculus BC. He also took computer courses such as AP Computer Science, Java Computer Programming, and as of the 2018-2019 school year, C++. Liu’s GPA currently rests at 4.75, securing the __ spot in the senior class.

  Along with taking rigorous classes, Liu juggles multiple extracurriculars. He is a 4-year Math Club member, the president of the Science Club, and Co-Section Leader of high brass in Marching Band.

  Liu also remains active outside of school– as reflected by his Eagle Scout status earned in 2018. With two past jobs interning at engineering firms, Liu will take on his third job this summer in programming.

  “A valedictorian is representative of the entire class in both academic achievement and community involvement,” Liu stated. “I view it as an honor to anyone who is bestowed it.”

  Liu will be attending the University of California, Los Angeles as a Computer Science major during Fall of 2019.