UVM Department of Computer Science presents

Catamount Cubs Code

AI 0.42 −1.07 0.88 0.15 −0.63 1.21 −0.09 0.57 −0.34 0.96 −0.72 0.28 1 2 3

Vermont’s High School AI Coding Challenge

Register by Dec. 2 (opens in a new tab) Friday, Dec. 11, 2026 · 3–6 p.m. · Davis Center, UVM

Free · Open to any Vermont high school junior or senior

WhenDecember 11, 2026Friday, 3–6 p.m.
WhereDavis CenterUVM campus, Burlington
CostFreeRegister by December 2

What is Catamount Cubs Code?

Code for Vermont. Build for good.

Come learn how to use AI to tackle a real Vermont challenge. No coding or AI experience necessary. Just bring your creativity and have fun! Download the event flyer (opens in a new tab) (PDF)

  • Bring: a laptop or Chromebook (everything is web-based)
  • Learn: an AI coding lesson from a UVM Computer Science professor
  • Build: work solo or with a partner, with UVM professors as mentors
  • Win: prizes for the top three projects

Prizes

$1,0001st place
$5002nd place
$2503rd place

Event schedule

Friday, December 11

Before the challenge · 1–3 p.m. UVM Annual Computer Science Fair

For some pre-challenge inspiration, participants are encouraged to attend the CS Fair to see what the big Catamounts built this year! Held in the Davis Center. Free pizza, drinks and snacks!

go.uvm.edu/csfair (opens in a new tab)

The Challenge 2:45–6 p.m. · Friday, December 11

  1. 2:45–3:00 p.m.Assemble and check inGrand Maple Ballroom, Davis Center (CS Fair location)
  2. 3:00–3:15 p.m.Transition together to Innovation HallLocation of the challenge
  3. 3:15–3:20 p.m.Welcome and introduction
  4. 3:20–3:25 p.m.Challenge rules
  5. 3:25–3:55 p.m.Lesson on AI codingTaught by a UVM Computer Science professor
  6. 3:55–4:00 p.m.Challenge options revealed, participants select oneFive real Vermont challenges, with data and starter code
  7. 4:00–5:30 p.m.AI coding: build your project!
  8. 5:30–5:50 p.m. Professors review projects, select winners based on:
    • Creativity: Originality and design
    • Technical: Implementation and usability
    • Impact: Using AI to address selected Vermont issue
  9. 5:50–6:00 p.m.Winners announced, with prizes and certificates!

Prepare

Before the event

  1. Create a free GitHub account Required

    Sign up at github.com/signup (opens in a new tab) as soon as possible, well before December 11. You won’t be able to participate without a GitHub account. A regular free account is all you need. If your school email doesn’t receive GitHub’s verification message, use a personal email address. Remember your username and password; you’ll sign in at the event.

  2. Save your AI credits for event day

    Your free account includes a monthly allowance of GitHub Copilot AI credits that resets on December 1. To arrive with your full allowance, please don’t use Copilot between December 1 and the event.

  3. Test GitHub Codespaces on your device

    We’ll code in GitHub Codespaces (opens in a new tab), which runs the VS Code editor in your web browser. Signed in to GitHub, go to github.com/codespaces (opens in a new tab), choose the Blank template and make sure the editor opens. Then stop the codespace from the same page. If it won’t open, see the note for school-issued devices below.

  4. Watch for your UVM Guest Wi-Fi login

    We’ll create a UVM Guest wireless account for each participant and email the username and password before the event. On campus, connect to the UVM Guest network, choose Sponsored Guests → Login, and enter those credentials.

  5. Charge up

    Bring your laptop or Chromebook fully charged, plus its charger.

Using a school-issued Chromebook or a laptop with parental controls?

School web filters and parental-control apps often block the sites GitHub Codespaces needs. Please send the instructions below to your school’s IT staff (or the parent who manages the controls) at least two weeks before the event, then repeat the Codespaces test in step 3.

Instructions for school IT staff

A student from your school is taking part in Catamount Cubs Code: Vermont’s High School AI Coding Challenge at the University of Vermont on December 11, 2026. Participants use GitHub Codespaces (VS Code in the browser) and GitHub Copilot. Please allow the following domains, including subdomains, in your web filter or firewall for the student’s account or device:

github.com
*.github.com
*.github.dev
*.app.github.dev
*.githubusercontent.com
*.githubassets.com
*.githubcopilot.com
default.exp-tas.com
*.visualstudio.com
*.vscode-cdn.net
*.vscode-webview.net
*.azureedge.net
*.msecnd.net
*.windows.net
*.microsoft.com
  • Allow secure WebSocket (wss://) connections to these domains; the editor depends on them.
  • If your filter inspects encrypted (TLS/SSL) traffic, exclude *.visualstudio.com and *.github.dev, which otherwise break the connection.
  • Allow pop-ups and cookies for github.com and github.dev so sign-in completes.
  • The list comes from GitHub’s published domains for its website, Codespaces and Copilot (api.github.com/meta (opens in a new tab)), plus the VS Code editor’s content network.

To confirm it works, have the student open github.com/codespaces (opens in a new tab) and start a Blank codespace. Questions? Email Computer.Science@uvm.edu.

Questions

Good to know

Who can participate?

Any Vermont high school junior or senior. You can compete on your own or on a team of two.

Can I participate if I’m homeschooled?

Of course, silly! This challenge is for you 😊

Do I need to know how to code?

No. No coding or AI experience is necessary. There are ways to build an AI project without writing any code. The challenge includes a lesson in AI coding to get you started!

What should I bring?

A charged laptop or Chromebook with wireless internet capabilities. Computers are not provided, so please bring your own. Wi-Fi will be available. Everything runs in a web browser, so there’s nothing to install.

Where do I park?

It is recommended that participants park in the Jeffords Lot Visitor Parking, next to Jeffords Hall (63 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405). Enter the lot from Beaumont Avenue and follow the signs for visitor spaces. Visitor parking is paid from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, using the ParkMobile app. Chaperones can request a prepaid parking permit by filling out the registration form (opens in a new tab) and selecting “Chaperone.” UVM visitor parking information (opens in a new tab)

Get GPS directions to the Jeffords Lot (opens in a new tab)

Does it cost anything?

No. Catamount Cubs Code is free to participate. Just register, create a free GitHub account, then show up and have fun!

How do I register?

Space is limited, so register today using the link below. Registration closes December 2, 2026, or sooner if the event fills. You’ll also need a free GitHub account (github.com/signup (opens in a new tab)); you won’t be able to participate without one, so create it as soon as possible. See Before the event for all the steps.

Registration

Register by December 2, 2026

Space is limited. Register today!

Register now (opens in a new tab)
Questions? Email Computer.Science@uvm.edu

Explore

Discover UVM Computer Science

About the Computer Science Department

Like building with AI? Imagine doing it every day.

At UVM, a computer science degree has evolved into a launchpad for some of the most exciting careers out there. As AI and automation reshape every industry, the world needs people who can design, build, test and improve the systems behind it.

The curriculum gives students strong foundations in programming, algorithms, data structures, AI and machine learning, cybersecurity, software engineering and problem-solving, so they can keep growing as the field changes.

Where will it take you?

  • Artificial intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Data privacy
  • Data science
  • Hardware + systems architecture
  • Human-computer interaction
  • Machine learning
  • Quantum computing
  • Robotics + automation
  • Software + firmware development
Learn more about UVM Computer Science (opens in a new tab)

About the Computer Science Fair

Check out what the big Catamounts built this year!

The CS Fair is UVM’s annual showcase of student computer science projects, a coordinated effort between UVM computer science professors and the Society of Women in Computer Science (SWiCS) (opens in a new tab). Last year, 180 students presented more than 90 projects, from games, music and productivity apps to research in AI, robotics and computer vision.

UVM students (Catamounts!) compete in four categories named for computing pioneers (Babbage, Hopper, Lovelace and Turing — look them up!), with projects judged by professors and local industry representatives (many of them highly successful UVM computer science graduates!).

Students and faculty pose for a group photo at the 2025 CS Fair Two students show their game project to visitors A small robot on a test course at a student project table Three students pose beside their project A student presents a project to a judge
Scenes from the 2025 CS Fair
Visit the CS Fair website (opens in a new tab) Read about last year’s fair (opens in a new tab)