Mikaela Marciales, a student at Lowell High School in San Francisco, finds joy and self-expression in her AP computer science projects, thanks to the innovative teaching methods of her instructor, Art Simon. Simon emphasizes creative and personalized project assignments, allowing students to infuse personal touches into their work, which fosters engagement and understanding. He introduces complex programming concepts like recursion through tangible examples such as fractals, sparking curiosity and linking them to natural patterns. Simon's approach also makes cheating difficult, as students are encouraged to create unique projects, seek peer input, and build on programming concepts using a milestone-based structure. Mikaela's experience in Simon's class has inspired her to pursue further computer science opportunities, including an after-school program and a future engineering internship. Simon shares his teaching resources on platforms like The College Board’s AP Community and GitHub Pages, supporting other educators in their efforts to integrate creativity into computer science education.