With great enthusiasm, Oracle Academy and Adfaber Association announces the winners of the “Learn to Code with Alice” 2025 national competition.
This year’s event was filled with creativity, enthusiasm, and outstanding talent. Every participant impressed us with their dedication and passion, making the judging process both exciting and challenging.
Students discover that technology is not just about code and algorithms — it is about the power to do good, to create real solutions for real problems, and to build a more inclusive future.
This year theme was “Educational applications for students with special educational needs” who represented much more than a technical challenge, it was an invitation to empathy, inclusive thinking, and social responsibility.
More than 590 middle and high school students learned Java programming from scratch, collaborated intensely, created, made mistakes, tried again… and succeeded in building impressive applications that can truly make a difference in the lives of children with special educational needs.
With free resources provided through Oracle Academy, constant support from the Adfaber team, and the dedicated guidance of coordinating teachers, they took their first important steps into the world of technology.
“The resources provided were very well structured. They didn’t overwhelm the students with theory but offered practical solutions to the problems they encountered. Since it was the first time they worked in a programming environment, it seemed difficult. But they started experimenting, and even if they made mistakes, they started over and did not give up.” said Negrea Ariadna, coordinating teacher
In just a few weeks, students built impressive educational games and applications while learning logical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and — perhaps most importantly — learning to believe in their own abilities.
“Teachers are the engine of the competition. With or without programming experience, they are the mentors who guide students, encourage them, and give them the chance to discover a new path. Without them, this competition would not be possible.” saidFlorentina Mihai, Program Manager, Adfaber
More than 110 coordinating teachers involved in the 2025 edition demonstrated that a passion for education and the desire to open new opportunities for students surpass any technical barrier.
“I saw them working with enthusiasm and creativity. I was impressed by how much they evolved in just a few weeks, applying the theoretical concepts learned in class in a completely new environment. The students developed confidence in their own abilities, and being among the winners motivates them to continue learning.”
said Costea Diana Rodica, coordinating teacher
Winners for the middle school category:
1st place – Team ENIGMA
Project: Enigma
Coordinating Teacher: Leica Doina
Students: Radu Augustin, Dumitru Ștefan
School: Școala Gimnazială Nr. 190, Bucharest, Sector 4
2nd place – Team Ctrl+Winners
Project: Țara cunoștințelor (The Land of Knowledge)
Coordinating Teacher: Negrea Ariadna
Students: Bucur Ștefănuț Antonio, Chița Ionuț Cristian
School: Școala Gimnazială Pietrari, Dâmbovița
3rd place – Team Brilliant Ideas Girls
Project: The Lab for Brilliant Ideas
Coordinating Teacher: Niculae Ștefania-Roxana
Students: Rotaru Medeea-Rebecca, Dragomir Maria-Anastasia
School: Școala Gimnazială Nr. 195, Bucharest, Sector 3
Winners for the high school category:
1st place – Team MAGICODE
Project: The Enchanted Tree
Coordinating Teacher: Popa Gabriela Maria
Students: Dumitru Bogdan-Nicolae, Ghiță Alexandru-David
School: Liceul Teoretic “Callatis”, Mangalia, Constanț
2nd place – Team The Insomniacs
Project: How to Cross the Street Safely
Coordinating Teacher: Recheștean Dorina
Students: Ciucă Andrei Corneliu, Lupu Iulian Nicolae
School: Liceul “Atanasie Marienescu”, Lipova, Arad
3rd place – Team Exploratorii Europei
Project: Interactive Europe
Coordinating Teacher: Costea Diana-Rodica
Students: Preda David-Alexandru, Vraciu Luca-Alexandru
School: Colegiul Național “Iulia Hasdeu”, Bucharest, Sector 2
Beyond statistics and rankings, the true impact of the Alice competition is reflected in personal stories of transformation and self-discovery.
A student from Exploratorii Europei shares: “Through this experience, I discovered what is actually behind a game. I learned to work efficiently in a team and to coordinate so we could submit the project on time, even though it was an activity outside the school curriculum.”
A student from Ctrl+Winners says: “I joined this competition wanting to discover something new and develop my creativity. I realized that if I set a goal, I can really achieve it, especially if I believe in myself.”
Teachers observe long-term change: “When they saw that something so beautiful could come from their own hands, you could see the joy on their faces, the joy of success. The competition helped them develop communication skills, creativity, algorithmic thinking, and especially teamwork.”, said Leica Doina, coordinating teacher.
Congratulations to all the teachers and students who participated in the competition, and well done to the winners! We look forward to seeing you at the next edition!
Thank you Adfaber for what you are doing as an Oracle Academy partner.