Alum Spotlight: Say Hello to Sophie Eisenberg!

One of our most enthusiastic students last summer was Sophie. She mastered Swift and created a tourist-trap app in just two short weeks, and now she’s back to Trevor leading her Girls Who Code club. We caught up with her to hear about her Upperline experience (and boy, are our legs tired!). We’re so excited to share an update with you all, and we hope you enjoy!

What was your interest in or experience with coding before you took an Upperline class?

Before I took an Upperline class, I had experience programming in Java from school, and I was interested enough to want to continue programming over the summer!

What Upperline course did you take? Why that one?

I took Upperline’s Introduction to iOS Development in large part because I had never seen a similar course offered elsewhere. I had been researching other programming summer opportunities at the time, and I found iOS Development to be the most intriguing and fascinating area of programming I’d stumbled across.

What coding projects are you most proud of?

Using the Swift knowledge I gained during the Upperline course and a lot of time spent on online forums, I learned how to use Swift’s GameKit and SpriteKit plug-ins and built a simple pong game for the iPhone. Even though it isn’t the most impressive of hand-held games, I was so proud that I did not give up on it despite the frustrating and tiresome experience I had building it. Since then, I’ve built other iPhone games using GameKit and SpriteKit that are far more advanced, but that first project is super special to me.

Are you taking CS courses at school this year? If so, what are you currently working on?

I’m taking a Programmer’s Workshop in which I’m given the freedom to work on independent programming projects. Right now, I’m working a lot with OpenSCAD and 3D printing.

What makes an Upperline class special? Did taking one help you explore your passion for coding?

I think what makes an Upperline class so special are its instructors. Each is so dedicated to helping his or her student learn so much more than just the fundamentals of a programming language like how to handle a fear of failure and how to take risks. After having such a wonderful experience that summer, another Upperline alum and I decided to start a chapter of the national Girls Who Code club at our school in order to reconcile our newfound passion for programming with our commitment to empowering women in STEM.

At Upperline, we spend a lot of time on games, breaks, and activities that have to do with emotional side of coding. How did that strategy impact you as a learner?

As someone who can be super timid and introspective at first, I was thrown right out of the comfort zone upon arriving to our first Upperline class. Despite the initial panic, I started to be grow more comfortable with them, which helped me learn how to take more risks in and out of the classroom. Upperline also helped me realize how important games, break, and activities can be in creating a collaborative and supportive learning atmosphere, and I’ve applied that knowledge to situations where I am teaching or tutoring my peers.

What would you say to someone who is on the fence about signing up for a summer?

Take the risk — it is so worth it!

Thanks for your time, Sophie! If you are considering signing up for an Upperline course, consider how alumni have been affected by Upperline, in our new series of Alum Spotlights. To learn more about our courses, download our course catalog, or contact us with whatever questions you might have.