Interview with Hridhaan: A Young Achiever in Coding with Lyza Education

At Lyza Education, we love celebrating the success stories of our students. Today, we are excited to feature Hridhaan, a young coding enthusiast who not only shined in the Lyza IDE Competition Training but also secured admission into Temasek Junior College (TJC) through the prestigious DSA-Sec pathway.

In this exclusive interview, Hridhaan shares his personal journey with coding, his experience with Lyza Education's classes, and his advice for aspiring young coders and students aiming for their dream schools.

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Personal & Coding journey

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and when you first started coding? What inspired you to try it?

My name is Hridhaan, I’m 11 years old. I first started coding when I was 9. My dad encouraged me to try it, and I began with the programming language Scratch from MIT. That’s when I discovered I really enjoyed coding and have been coding since.

Experience with Lyza training & IDE Competition

How did you first hear about Lyza's IDE competition training, and what motivated you to join?

My mum first told me about Lyza Education after she came across it on social media. I was motivated to join because I really love coding and wanted to improve my skills. I saw it as a good opportunity to challenge myself through the competition, so we onboarded with Lyza’s IDE 2025 Training Programme, where I received proper guidance and structured practice.

💡 Did you Know?

Lyza Education has our tailored Competition Training Programme that prepares students for various competitions. Over a series of immersive sessions, learners steadily build confidence, creativity, and problem-solving skills, empowering them to perform thoughtfully and grow through every competition opportunity.

What was your first impression of the training sessions and what was the most challenging aspect of preparing for the competition? How did you overcome it?

At first the training sessions were challenging, but Teacher Xin Yi helped me learn not just how to code, but how to code better by breaking it down into simpler terms that are easy to understand. I practiced hard and through their guidance, I am able to overcome difficult questions as well as my speed in coding.

It is also possible to code advanced concepts on Scratch too, such as sorting algorithms, something that is actually covered in introductory modules at university level, as demonstrated by Teacher Xin Yi in the picture

Did you learn any new coding techniques or skills during the training?

Yes, through Lyza’s lessons I picked up important concepts like variables (storing numbers and values for later use) and lists (collections of variables). For example, in a list you can store several positions or values at once, something you can’t do with just one variable. These made my projects much more powerful and versatile.

Winning fifth place among over 50 participants is an impressive achievement. How did you feel when you found out you were placed in fifth place?

I was really excited and happy! I had worked hard, and It felt amazing that my effort, together with the guidance I received, paid off.

Can you share a memorable moment from the competition that stood out to you?

The best moment was when I found out I had achieved 5th place. I’d love to try the activities again and attempt even more challenges within the time limit.

How has participating in this competition influenced your approach to coding and problem-solving?

It helped me code faster and better. My problem-solving skills improved a lot, and I learned through the training on the importance of planning before starting any project. The toughest part was finishing activities within the time limit, so I had to train myself to focus and work more efficiently. Over time, I got better at managing both speed and accuracy.

💡 Did you Know?

Many coding competitions for adults, especially at tertiary institutions such as polytechnics and universities, place strong emphasis not just on solving problems, but also on writing efficient, high-performance code. These students, equipped with years of experience, are challenged to optimise algorithms under time constraints. We have woven this same spirit into Lyza Education’s in-house competitions, where participants must deliver both correctness and efficiency within a timed format, sharpening their problem-solving skills and readiness for real-world coding challenges.

DSA Journey & TJC Admission

Congratulations on securing a spot at Temasek Junior College via DSA-Sec! Can you share how you prepared for the application process?

I practiced a lot and exposed myself to different types of math questions. I got into Temasek JC DSA-Sec via the Mathematics route. I was also prepared by taking part in various competitions like IDE competition, SASMO, Raffles Math Olympiad, and other Math challenges where I achieved gold medals over the years.

Did your experience with coding competitions and projects help in your DSA portfolio? How?

Through Math DSA, they looked at my math results but having to join coding competitions definitely played a part. I improved my problem-solving, logic, and focus. These transferable skills helped me perform better in math questions and overall DSA preparation.

How did you feel when you received the offer from Temasek JC?

I was definitely very excited! For CCA, I will be joining the Math Olympiad team in the school. I feel that Coding and Math work closely together. For example, both involve logic, conditions ("if this is true, then do that"), and variables that store numbers and data.

Advice & Inspiration

Looking ahead, what are your future goals in coding and technology?

I don’t have fixed goals yet because I like to explore different things. But since I enjoy hands-on activities and I’m strong in math, I might become an engineer in the future.

What advice would you give to other young coders who aspire to compete in similar competitions?

I’m still young, but I would say "work hard for the things you want to achieve, and practice a lot". Because practice makes perfect!

What advice would you give to other students aspiring to get into their dream schools via DSA?

Go for it and choose your area wisely. For example, I love both Math and Science. But I’m stronger in Math than in Science, so I focused on Math. Play to your strengths and be strategic in your choices.

Hridhaan’s story is proof that with passion, practice, and the right guidance, young learners can achieve incredible milestones, whether in coding competitions or DSA admissions. At Lyza Education, we are proud to have supported his journey and can’t wait to see what he accomplishes next.

👉 Interested in preparing for coding competitions or building a strong DSA portfolio? Explore Lyza Education’s training programs today and start your journey toward success!