The Honors Advanced Data Structures class recently published their new app, “Climb it: Tiger Edition”, to the Apple App Store this past month.

The now-published app is a game featuring 24 levels and passed the tedious process of publication including adjustment for 16 different devices, beta testing, a creation of app record, and finally a review by Apple for quality and adherence to its standards.

“We really just set out to make a fun game that people would play on their phone, and I really think that we did that. It’s so cool to see all of our hard work pay off,” said programmer senior Drew Beckwith.

Programming the app proved no simple task for the 24 students in the HADS class. However, their persistence and teamwork allowed them to publish a complete and entertaining app all before the semester change.

“This app represents over 1000 hours of work by the class and me. It contains hundreds of lines of code written by 24 different people, merged into a working product. This app is the result of intense collaboration by the class, and the amount of creativity in the app is a testament to the amazing intellectual talent present in the HADS class,” said HADS teacher, Mrs. Petite.

The student coders also attest to Petite’s analysis, as they speak to hard work and collaboration as the reason for overcoming obstacles and producing a great app.

“There were definitely some roadblocks that we faced when programming the app, but everyone was always willing to help each other out which really helped us produce a great app. Our collaboration not only allowed for a great app but also great creativity to allow the app to reach full potential,” said HADS student senior Daniel Newell.

Despite some roadblocks, the app proved very successful through help from the tech department, creativity, and perseverance.

“This year Apple put a few new requirements in the publication process which caused some headaches, but with the help of our amazing tech director and the support of the administration and the board of education we were able to overcome those hurdles. [Students] also dealt with major design issues as we brought the game to life. Each student created a level in the game, and they created the art and music themselves,” said Petite.

Although the largest project for the HADS class is a collaborative app, which the class started in 2016, the class also teaches students advanced skills computer science abilities while also fine-tuning other real-world skills.

“[The class] helps students who are planning on studying computer science in college get a lot of experience with some of the challenging material they will need to learn in order to master a coding interview, but it also helps students who may not plan on majoring in computer science learn how to think and problem solve on a very high level,” said Petite.

The prospect of having something on the App Store for all to download proved motivational for many students in the HADS class, and now with their work completed they can bask in the glory of their publishing.

“It just feels great to be able to go on the app store and see something that I helped make, it’s a really rewarding experience that I can put on my resume and have for the rest of my life,” said Newell.

Overall, the app is gaining popularity among students, and the class is thrilled with the triumph of the app.

“I am proud of the fact that every student in the HADS class has code that has been published in the App Store for worldwide distribution,” said Petite.