HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMMING CONTEST
Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Multiple Sites
Click to learn about the ICPC Contest!
The International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) conducts programming contests for college students that focus on algorithmic programming solving. The NCNA region’s new high school contest (HSC) is a programming contest specifically designed for high school students having some programming experience. Teams of three, representing their school, work to solve the most real-world stimulating problems, fostering collaboration, creativity, innovation, and the ability to perform under pressure. Through training and competition, teams challenge each other to raise the bar on the possible. Quite simply, the ICPC is the oldest, largest, and most prestigious programming contest organization in the world and the HSC is its newest offering. More about ICPC.
The HSC of the NCNA region for the 2025-26 school year includes schools from Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, Kansas, Ontario, and Manitoba. The best-performing teams from each state/region will receive awards and bragging rights.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE!
We will provide the problem set, rules, accounts, links to the online Contest Management System (CMS), access to region-wide orientation, documentation, and assistance during the contest and closing ceremonies.
First, sites are established. These can be schools or colleges that host teams during the contest. These sites are proctored. It is possible to have Micro-sites that host a small number of teams. Second, coaches register teams to sites. Teams can practice for the contest using the links below. Teams should start using the KATTIS site as that will be used for the contest. Finally, during the contest day, coaches bring in the teams to the site for the contest.
Teams have fun at the contest, test and expand their skills, network and make new friends, explore the local area, and take back lots of experience, memories, and awards! Compete with other teams from the state and also from the North Central North America region of the ICPC.
Here is some information to get you started. We will update this site over time to provide additional information and links to the CMS (Kattis) and Zoom.
| CONTEST REGISTRATION | |
| Instructions for Site Directors | Link |
| Instructions for Coaches | Link |
| Registration Link (Deadline: April 21, 2025) | Coming up soon. |
| Contest Sites (Google Map) | Link (This will be updated) |
| Contest Environment | Link |
| Contest Team Guidelines | Link |
| Contest Website Link | Link (This will be updated) |
| CONTEST JUDGING SYSTEM (KATTIS) | |
| Kattis Tutorial | Link |
| Instructions for Contestants on Submissions | Link |
| PRACTICE FOR CONTEST | |
| Sample Contest Guide & Practice Contest Questions | Link |
| An Old High School Contest | Link |
| Another Practice Contest | Link |
| STATE SITES & QUERIES | |
| Iowa (contact simanta dot mitra at icpc dot global) | Link |
| Nebraska (contact chuck dot riedesel at icpc dot global) | Link |
| North Dakota (contact joseph dot latimer at ndsu dot edu) | Link |
| Kansas (contact Sankha at ku dot edu) | |
| Minnesota (contact fox at macalester dot edu) | |
| Ontario (contact anthony dot pagnotta at algomau dot ca) | |
| Manitoba (contact m dot adedayo at uwinnipeg dot ca) | |
| General Queries (contact hsc dot ncna at gmail dot com) | |
High School Programming Contest FAQ
We will cover frequently asked questions regarding our competition. This page will be updated regularly. If you have a question that has not been answered, please email your queries to the relevant contact mentioned in the “State Sites & Queries” section above.
What is the cost of the competition?
The competition is free for teachers and students to attend. However, you will be required to provide your own transportation to the competition if you are competing on-site.
What are the things that you will need to bring along on the day of the competition?
You will need to bring only your students and coach. We will provide food, computers, pens, and paper for the competition.
Do you support JavaScript?
Yes, we will provide support for JavaScript.
If we need to sub a student on the day of the competition, is that ok?
Yes. If you need to substitute a student on the day of the competition, it is allowed.
Can you have less than three students on a team?
Yes. We allow teams that consist of two or three students. The maximum you can have on a team the day of the competition is three students.