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Building the Future: Inside Ranney’s Growing Computer Science Program

Ranney students are not just learning about computer science—they’re using it to explore real-world ideas, ask deeper questions, and build tools that matter. Through challenging coursework and creative projects, the school’s burgeoning Computer Science program is giving students opportunities typically reserved for college classrooms.

One recent project in Computer Science asked students to tackle a classic question behind casino games: “Why does the house always win?” Upper School teacher Mr. Stephen DeMonico challenged students to create a Blackjack simulation from the ground up.  They wrote programs that allowed the computer to play thousands of hands against itself, simulating both the dealer’s hand and the player’s hand. By running the simulation repeatedly and gathering large amounts of data, students were able to analyze the probability distribution of outcomes and see firsthand how the mathematics of the game favors the house.

“But earning top marks required more than just coding the basics,” says Mr. DeMonico. “Students had to truly think through the problem, expand their programs with their own ideas, and refine their models to produce meaningful results. The outcomes were impressive, demonstrating both strong technical skills and creative problem-solving.”

Ranney students are also successfully tackling complex challenges in Data Structures and Algorithms. Although most students do not encounter the Tower of Hanoi Challenge until their second year of college, here at Ranney, students dive into the fundamental tools that power modern software—learning how information is organized, searched, and optimized. The project centers around three pegs on a board. One peg has discs of all different sizes, from largest to smallest on one peg. The goal of the exercise is to move all of the discs to another peg, without placing a larger disc on top of a smaller one. 

Students were tasked with solving the Tower of Hanoi by recreating complex systems graphically in an autosolution mode, allowing algorithms to visually demonstrate how they solve problems step by step. Their projects culminated in presentations during Town Hall, giving the community a chance to see advanced computational thinking in action.

Looking ahead to next year, the Computer Science program is expanding even further with the introduction of two new artificial intelligence (AI) courses.

The first, Learn and Create with AI, is a semester-long studio class that will explore both the ethical use of AI and its creative potential. Students will experiment with AI tools to write stories, produce videos, generate artwork, and explore how emerging technologies can amplify human creativity.

The second offering, Hands-On Machine Learning, is a year-long advanced studies course that will combine theory, history, and practical application. Students will study the foundations of machine learning and then collaborate to build something useful for the Ranney community. One potential project could be an AI-powered tutor that uses the Socratic method, asking guiding questions to help students deepen their understanding while studying.

The exploration of AI begins even earlier at Ranney, with a Middle School AI class designed to introduce younger students to the concepts shaping tomorrow’s technology.

To broaden access even further, Honors Computer Science will also be offered as part of Ranney’s Summer Institute (RSI) next summer. (Each year, RSI offers enrichment and preparatory courses, allowing more students to begin or accelerate their journey along the computer science track.)

In much the same way that the Bloomberg Lab prepares students for future studies in finance and economics, these expanding computer science and AI offerings are designed to equip Ranney students with the knowledge and experience needed for college-level work and research in AI, while also helping them make more informed choices about their college paths and potential majors.

As the field continues to transform industries and society, Ranney’s Computer Science program is ensuring that students are not just observers of technological change, but also active participants in shaping it.
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Ranney School

235 Hope Road
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Tel. 732.542.4777
Our mission is to know and value every child, nurturing intellectual curiosity and confidence, and inspiring students to lead honorably, think creatively, and contribute meaningfully to society. 

We envision Ranney School as a nurturing learning community, in which families, faculty, alumni, and all of Ranney’s constituents collaborate to know and value every child, foster individual talents, sustain powerful connections between children and adults, and graduate resilient, globally-minded citizens.