Apeejay School Noida’s CODE Team triumphs at CompuFest 2024

Apeejay School, Noida’s CODE Team showcased their brilliance at the prestigious CompuFest 2024, held at Seth Anandram Jaipuria School. Competing against top schools, the students demonstrated exceptional talent, securing remarkable positions across challenging events. In a recent telephonic interview, we explored their journey, strategies, and what drove their success.

Surat Sahni:

Securing the first position in the Cryptic Hunt event, her journey was marked by enthusiasm and sharp problem-solving skills. Reflecting on her motivation, she shared, “I had done cryptic hunts when I was younger. These events are fascinating as they push you to make the wildest connections, challenging your thinking.”

Surat described the hunt’s final moments as the toughest: “Juggling between the hunt and two other events on the same day was the real challenge. Finishing just in time brought an adrenaline rush, especially since the competition was neck-to-neck.” Despite not preparing formally, she credited the resources shared by seniors from the CODE Club as instrumental. Her advice to future participants? “Cryptic hunts are a fantastic way to learn cryptography, forensics, and hacking, particularly for those aspiring to enter cybersecurity.”

Shreyashi Pandey:

Securing the second position in the Predictive Insights event alongside her teammate, Aditya Sharma, Shreyashi was driven by her passion for Artificial Intelligence. “Creating an AI-based recommendation system was thrilling. It allowed me to apply theoretical knowledge practically, which was an eye-opener,” she explained.

The team focused on building a book recommendation system using Python, filtering data through modules like NumPy and Pandas. Despite facing time constraints, they successfully developed a functional model. “We initially planned a comprehensive system for books, movies, and songs, but narrowed it down to books due to time limitations,” Shreyashi noted. The experience reinforced her decision-making skills and deepened her love for AI.

Aditya Sharma

The event, for him, was an opportunity to explore uncharted territory. “It was our first time tackling an AI recommendation system, which made it all the more exciting,” he revealed. Their problem-solving approach involved drawing patterns from their own preferences, an innovative strategy that set them apart.

Aditya acknowledged the hurdles, including software issues and their initial inexperience. “We overcame these by persistently trying new solutions. Teamwork played a crucial role,” he emphasised. Using Python and tools like Tkinter, the team managed to build a user-friendly interface.

Reflecting on the experience, Aditya shared, “I’ve gained a deeper understanding of complex algorithms and teamwork. This has motivated me to participate in more events and continue honing my skills.”