US Internet Censorship

PA State Computer Fair: 12th grade submission

April 2014

By my senior year of high school, I was eager to finally place first in the Pennsylvania State Computer Fair. This was my last chance to take home the top prize, and I wanted to go out with a bang. For my final entry, I chose the timely and provocative subject of US Internet Censorship.

Final Act

I created what was easily my most ambitious website thus far. It was another one-page click-to-scroll design, but I significantly upped the production value. This time, I teamed up with a friend who helped me create custom graphics that would give the site a professional and cohesive look.

The home page was particularly striking: a full-screen video of the American flag waving in stark black and white. It was intended to set a somber and ominous tone, reflecting the serious nature of the topic.

Each “slide” of the one-page site was a full-screen experience, with a unique “shattered” or “glitchy” background that was meant to evoke the feeling of being censored or monitored online. The design was meant to be both informative and emotionally resonant, and I was incredibly proud of the final result.

The website successfully made it to the state competition in Harrisburg once again. However, much to my disappointment, it didn’t place in the top three. While it was a bit of a bittersweet ending to my five-year run in the competition, I knew that the journey was more important than the destination. Also I always got to skip school on those day.

The Pennsylvania State Computer Fair was where my interest in the web was born and nurtured. It provided me with a platform to experiment with new ideas, learn from my mistakes, and see what other talented students were building across the state. Even though I never quite made “best in state,” the skills I developed and the confidence I gained were the real prizes. It was the perfect send-off as I prepared to move on to college and eventually into a career in software engineering.