hi!!

I'm Rachel.

I'm a computer science student at UCF, and I like making software that looks like a video game but actually helps with something. Right now that's SideQuest, a study app for ADHD brains starring a squirrel named Pip.

Before UCF I was in Miami tutoring AP CS students, running hackathons for my school's CS Honor Society, and competing in capture-the-flag (we took 1st at CyberLaunch 2025).

currently...
  • taking COT 3100 and intro to C
  • polishing SideQuest with my team
  • looking for a summer 2027 internship
me! (real photo soon)

Camera roll

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CyberLaunch 2025, Advanced division 1st place!!

Three of us, a pile of cybersecurity challenges, and a clock. Nearly 1,000 students from 99 Florida schools competed at USF that day. More on that here.

Want the longer version? Read about me, look through my experience, or go try to beat my reaction time on my shelf.

~ rachel
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About me

I got into coding in high school through America on Tech, a program in Miami where software engineers taught us web dev and data science every week. My first real project was a mock business site about humane treatment of animals in the food industry, which I pitched at Demo Day and placed 4th. How did that feel?

After that I joined my school's Computer Science Honor Society and ended up running it as Activities Director. That meant weekly tutoring, organizing two hackathons, and watching our club teams place at CyberLaunch and CSTA.

Now I'm at UCF studying CS. My favorite projects are the ones that are half code and half art, which is why everything I make ends up with a pixel mascot.

After college, I want to be a full-stack developer with a focus on UI/UX, because the creative side is my favorite part of building anything. And someday, I'd love to make games.

School
UCF
Major
Computer Science
Graduating
2029
From
Miami, FL

What I work with

Languages
  • C
  • Python
  • JavaScript
  • TypeScript
  • HTML/CSS
Frameworks
  • React
  • Bootstrap
Tools
  • Figma Make
  • GitHub
  • VS Code
  • Claude Code

Experience

The short version is on my resume. This is the slightly longer one.

Competitions & programs

Apr 2025Tampa, FL

Capture the Flag Competitor 1st place

CyberLaunch 2025, University of South Florida
  • Competed in the Advanced division of a statewide event with nearly 1,000 students from 99 Florida schools.
  • Won 1st place with a 3-person team, solving cybersecurity challenges under competition time limits.
Sep 2023 – May 2024Miami, FL

Web Development & Data Science Program

America on Tech
  • Took weekly, project-based classes taught by software engineers.
  • Completed 160 hours of data science and web development training in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Bootstrap.
  • Built a restaurant-menu API for the program's portfolio.
Aug – Sep 2023Miami, FL

Web Development Bootcamp 4th at Demo Day

America on Tech
  • Selected for a 3-week bootcamp focused on HTML, CSS, and Bootstrap.
  • Built and pitched a mock business site proposing humane treatment of animals in the food industry to a panel of tech professionals.

Leadership

Aug 2023 – May 2025Miami, FL

Activities Director

Computer Science Honor Society, John A. Ferguson Senior High
  • Coordinated weekly tutoring for AP Computer Science A, AP CS Principles, and hackathon prep.
  • Organized 2 hackathon events; club teams went on to place 1st at CyberLaunch (Mar 2024) and 2nd at CSTA (Dec 2024).
  • Completed 50 hours of community service introducing kids to coding.

Education

Aug 2025 – June 2029Orlando, FL

B.S. Computer Science

University of Central Florida
  • Coursework includes C programming and Discrete Structures (COT 3100).

Projects

What I've been building, and what's coming next.

Screenshot goes here
ShellHacks, Sep 2026, 4-person team

SideQuest

An ADHD-friendly study workspace with a pixel-art look that breaks assignments into small, doable steps, with Pip the squirrel along for the ride.

  • Prototyped the pixel-art interface in Figma Make, then turned it into a working React + TypeScript frontend.
  • Built the room, task canvas, and writing area so planning and written work live in one place.
  • Made task screens for capturing ideas, editing cards, and checking off steps.
  • Added a rewards and room-decoration screen showing earned coins and finished steps.
  • React
  • TypeScript
  • Figma Make
Coming soon

In the garage

Something new is in progress. Come back in a bit.

Shelf

Stuff I like that isn't on my resume.

🏎️

Formula 1

Favorite team, driver, and race

🎧

On repeat

Artists or songs you're looping

🎮

Games

What you're playing

📺

Watching

Shows, anime, or movies

👾

Pixel art

Every project I make gets a little mascot.

⭐

Random fact

Something fun about you

Lights out

Five red lights, then they go out and you hit the button. F1 drivers manage around 0.2 seconds. Send me your best time if you beat mine.

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