As technology evolves and the world shifts into a digital era, the demand for cybersecurity is rising. According to Statista.com, annual worldwide revenue in the cybersecurity industry has increased by nearly $100 billion since 2016. 

Jesuit High School Sacramento has taken note of this booming industry. There’s now a way to explore the world of cybersecurity right here on campus: the Computer Science Club. Moderated by Math Teacher Mr. Justin Tsai and Computer Science Department Chair Mr. Peter Strawn ’04, the Computer Science Club competes in various competitions throughout the year that test programming and cybersecurity skills.

Coding is a passion for many in the Computer Science Club. Such is the case with Chase Maciel ’26, whose initial exposure to programming came in the form of a summer class here at Jesuit.

“[Coding] ended up being a hobby for me,” Chase said. “I went to a summer camp here – Academics Plus, which is called Camp Marauder now – and there was a course that was Python, taught by some alumni students. I thought it was super cool, and I ended up doing it on my own at home.”

Although there are a multitude of programming and cyber security programs out there, there is one thing that sets the Computer Science Club apart: its collaborative spirit. The club always prepares and competes together, something that Surya Chavali ’26 finds to be very beneficial.

“Being in a group of like-minded people is fun because it makes it more motivating and easier to learn new things in coding,” Surya said. “When I don’t feel like practicing, I have people who force me to keep myself accountable, making me code along with the rest of the team. It is also fun because you can learn more and progress more while coding. After all, there are always others there to help.”

Throughout the year, the Computer Science Club prepares thoroughly for various coding competitions. The biggest of these is HPE CodeWars which takes place every March. Last spring, Jesuit split into two teams of three and competed against high schools in the Sacramento Area. The team made up of Chase, Surya, and Manudham Chintalapathi ’24 won the novice division for the first time in the Computer Science Club’s existence, marking a big step in the right direction for the team.

“That was the first time we got first in that competition ever, in school history,” Chase said. “I didn’t even know that until we won. I’m sure I can get some people to do the advanced division [next year], which is kind of a big step up. I’m looking forward to doing that, and I hope we have a big future ahead of us.”

Like Chase, Ali Zaidi ’25 is looking forward to the club’s future. His team also did well in HPE CodeWars, placing sixth in the novice division, and he hopes that the Computer Science Club continues to expand this year.

“This year, I hope we can continue participating in competitions,” Ali said. “I hope that we can place again at HPE CodeWars in the spring, and involve more students and teach them how to code and solve coding problems.”

The Computer Science Club is a unique program that offers a blend of coding, collaboration, and competition that can’t be found anywhere else on campus. With the victory at HPE Codewars, Chase, Ali, Surya, and the rest of the team have shown that it can compete at a high level. And they’ve only just begun. If you’re interested in joining the Computer Science Club join their Google Classroom using the code: 7i47xuu.