Knowing the Code: Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD Students Showcase Skills

Ask Jarvis the chatbot anything about Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD and it will impress you with its knowledge about the 3,000-student district east of Beaumont. Students from Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School developed and trained the chatbot using skills they attained in programming and software development courses, a career and technical education pathway in the district.

The Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School computer science students presented their work at TASB’s Governance Camp in March, sharing how projects tied to University Interscholastic League competitions are helping them build skills in algorithms, debugging, and computational thinking.

“I am so proud of their accomplishments,” said Terry Morris, Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School computer science teacher. “Whether they pursue computer science or other career paths, they are learning valuable skills they can apply to many aspects of their lives.”

Overall, the students demonstrated how classroom coding can translate into real-world problem-solving. Through the UIL coding projects, students practiced breaking down challenges into smaller steps, testing solutions, and learning from mistakes, which are habits that mirror the work of software developers and engineers.

District leaders say opportunities like TASB Governance Camp help students connect their learning to a broader audience. During the presentations, Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School students demonstrated technical ability as well as confidence and professionalism, explaining complex concepts to school board members and education leaders from across Texas.

“Experiences like this remind us that when students are given meaningful opportunities to create, present, and lead, they rise to the occasion,” the district shared. With hands-on projects that blend competition, creativity, and practical applications, the computer science students are not only learning to code, but they are also learning to think, collaborate, and communicate in ways that will serve them well in college and future careers.

This article first appeared in the June/July 2026 issue of Texas Lone Star.

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