Local Hersey High Seniors Pioneer New Tech Opportunities for District 214 Students

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John Hersey High School seniors Alex Strugacz and Miguel Aenlle have significantly contributed to computer science education at their school. Both students, who will attend Cornell University and the University of Illinois respectively, started the Hersey Hack Club. This club meets every Friday and draws 20 to 30 students, focusing on computer science projects and presentations instead of typical weekend activities.

Besides the Hack Club, Alex and Miguel established the Hersey Developers, an internship program that includes about 30 students from all six high schools in District 214. This program is notable for being the district’s largest internship provider, offering practical coding and programming experience. Their leadership has effectively guided their peers through complex, real-world projects.

Their notable achievements include winning an app showcase competition with their app, EasyMeal, now available on the iPhone’s App Store. They also presented this app at Apple’s flagship store on Michigan Avenue. Additionally, they organized HSHacks, a large hackathon that drew approximately 120 students from over 30 schools in the Chicago area, reinforcing their leadership in regional tech education.

Hersey computer science teacher, Bob Brown, and Student Success Coach, Angela Ferrazza, have praised Alex and Miguel’s initiative and professionalism. Brown commended their efforts in starting and managing the Hack Club, while Ferrazza acknowledged the challenges they met in creating the Hersey Developers program. This student-designed program offers a 60-hour internship that simulates a professional software development environment.