Alwyn Dippenaar

I will be going into my fourth year at the University of Virginia this fall where I am majoring in Computer Science. I am in the machine learning club and part of the Quizbowl team. I also serve as the Vice President of the Washington Literary Society and Debating Union. In High School, I attended the Academy of Engineering & Technology, where I competed on the RoboLoCo FRC robotics team.

I have experience assisting teachers in the instruction of engineering concepts to middle schoolers, and I have also been a tutor for high school level science, math, and programming in the past. I am currently an undergraduate teaching assistant for the Computer Science department at UVA.

Since joining Fairfax Collegiate in 2023, I have taught a multitude of classes on programming, 3D printing, robotics, engineering disciplines, and even debate.

I started programming in Scratch when I was in elementary school, and I have been programming in Python for about seven years now. I use and teach programming concepts daily in pursuit of my degree and to accomplish personal and professional projects. I also have a strong background in general engineering skills, such as working with CAD and microcontrollers as part of my coursework.

I enjoy the opportunity to make complex concepts and information exciting to students by making activities interactive and real-world.

Outside of school and education, some things I most enjoy are playing guitar, walking in nature (especially when it's raining), and playing board games.