The Java Competition – Program in Greenfoot is a wonderful opportunity for high school students to test their computer science knowledge and develop the skills necessary for future programmers, by creating a game or an interactive lesson in the Greenfoot platform. Participants have access to Oracle Academy free online educational resources that help them learn the basics of Java programming and then validate their knowledge by participating in the competition.

Organized by Adfaber with the support of Oracle Academy, this competition provided technology enthusiasts with the opportunity to test their knowledge and creativity by developing interactive games and applications. Participation in the Greenfoot competition gave students the opportunity to learn:

  • The fundamental principles of Java programming
  • How to develop interactive games and educational lessons
  • Logical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Teamwork and presenting ideas to a jury.

After a thorough evaluation of numerous innovative projects of the 114 registered teams (228 students mentored by 70 teachers), the jury selected the best ones based on functionality, innovation, and aesthetics.
 

Winners

First Place – Team TEKBYTE7, with their project “The Recon Bug,” secured first place! The project was developed by Andrei-Sebastian Cîrstoiu and Daria-Mihaela Nicolae from Zinca Golescu National College in Pitești, Argeș County, under the guidance of Professor Grațiela Ghiordunescu. A short description of the project from the students: “The mission of the game is to traverse an invisible minefield and reach your destination safely! Find the correct path using logic and memory to avoid dangerous traps!”

Second Place – Team Fizicienii, with their project “The Physics Odyssey,” took second place! The project was developed by Gabriela-Iuliana Andrei and Ioana-Andreea Andrei from Ioan Slavici Theoretical High School in Panciu, Vrancea County, under the guidance of Professor Bogdan-Vlăduț Grigoraș. A short description of the project from the team: “Our game, ‘The Physics Odyssey,’ is a series of lessons, exercises, and visual experiments designed to enhance the learning process. This educational game aims to link presented formulas with relevant experiments, adding a layer of interactivity for the user. The first part of each level involves a teaching session, the second part presents a problem, and the final part features an animation relevant to the lesson. The game consists of four levels, with difficulty progressively increasing.”

Third Place – Team Desturbed Games, with their project “BOOM TRON,” secured third place! The project was developed by Patricia Maria Fechete and Raul Calman Laurențiu from Andrei Mureșanu National College in Bistrița, Bistrița-Năsăud County, under the guidance of Professor Adrian Peter. A short description of the project from the team: “Our inspiration comes from classic shooter games, which require intense focus on action while also providing relaxation through intensity (‘flow state’). The world has been taken over by uncontrollable robots! Wave after wave, these mechanized enemies become stronger, faster, and more unpredictable.”
 

Special mentions

Team PDD LABS impressed the jury with their project “Archer.yo.” The team members are David Andrei Plocon and Teodor Ioan Predescu, under the guidance of Professor Elena Dragan from Tudor Vianu National College of Informatics, Bucharest.

Team GreenShake impressed the jury with their project “Shadow Sprint.” The team members are Andrei Arsene and Berindei David, under the guidance of Professor Noemi Czabor from W. Shakespeare Theoretical High School, Timișoara, Timiș County.

Team Mecatronix#1 impressed the jury with their project “Breaking The Code.” The team members are Ștefan Durău and David Sîrbu, under the guidance of Professor Eugenia Vilă from Ștefan Odobleja College, Craiova, Dolj County.

For many participants, this is just the beginning. Many will continue exploring Java programming and further developing their skills through practice. The support of teachers and parents plays a crucial role in ensuring a successful learning journey.

“This competition helped me build my portfolio and learn more about this programming language. I will definitely use these skills for a future job in the field,” said student Ștefan Durău, Ștefan Odobleja College, Craiova, Dolj County.

“My experience as a mentor was full of challenges and satisfactions. This competition gave the students the opportunity to overcome their limits and also helped them discover their passions,” said teacher Mrs. Vila Eugenia.

“I was surprised by the evolution of my students and by the fact that they started from scratch and created a project to be appreciated. They asked me for help very little, but they learned to look for information on their own and to find solutions for the problems they encountered,” said teacher Mrs. Czabor Noemi.

Congratulations to all participants and mentors for their effort and passion in developing their projects!

To see what the champions said about their competition experience and how it helped them improve their technical and creative skills, watch the video.

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