By Dustin Rudolph and Tanner Mauk

While most high schoolers accomplished things like getting a job, getting their first car, or reached their 16th or even 18th birthday, Chad Jones reached an entirely different achievement.  That special achievement is coding applications, which is extraordinary for 15-year-olds.  What coding is, is to write and design programs, or applications, for computers, which can result in a video game.

Jones began coding during this past summer after being motivated by Edmund McMillen, a video game designer, his most famous productions is Super Meat Boy.  After being asked why he wanted to learn to code Jones replied, “All my life I’ve been playing (video) games, so why not make my own?”

Jones motivated himself by listening to McMillen’s interviews.  Through that he became frustrated at points during the process. Jones’ new attribute of coding may change his future career path.  He doesn’t know what he wants to do for a career yet, but writing and designing games has been a major “game” changer in his future.

Out of all the accomplishments that he can achieve, Jones is most proud of his coding.  It has affected his life and he hopes it will affect his peers if he happens to make his own game.  After hearing about Chad and his video game making, they are excited to see what he will create.