Redmond Students Revolutionize Coding Education for Kids
In the Pacific Northwest, a group of high school students from Redmond High School have taken it upon themselves to provide free, live, online coding education to students of all ages. This initiative, spearheaded by Shrey Shah, a ninth-grader at the time, aims to bridge the gap in coding education within elementary and middle schools.
Python programming is a key part of the RCA’s curriculum.
The Redmond Coding Association (RCA), a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit, was launched in the summer of 2022 with a series of courses. Since its inception, the RCA has provided online events for elementary school students, including introduction classes with coding programs such as Python and Scratch.
“Our mission is focused toward a waste-to-education initiative, which is pretty unique to our organization,” Shah said.
The RCA’s courses cater to various levels and age groups, covering a spectrum of programming techniques from basic to advanced. Topics include robotics, animation, artificial intelligence, and game and website development. Additional courses provide advanced coding lessons for middle and high school students, preparing them for coding competitions such as the USA Computing Olympiad and hackathons.
The RCA’s e-waste collection initiative has been a huge success, with over 2,000 pounds of e-waste collected in their second event.
The RCA also provides career development courses instructed by technology professionals and college students, with volunteers from companies like Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, and universities like Princeton, Yale, and the University of Washington, majoring in computer science.
In addition to their coding education initiatives, the RCA has also launched an environmental initiative, hosting in-person events where people can drop off old computers, desktops, and other electronics at a designated location. The RCA volunteers salvage old computer parts from the e-waste drive for a Computers 101 course series, educating students on each component of a computer, how it works, and how to use each piece to build a computer. Volunteers donate the remaining e-waste to Goodwill.
The RCA plans to host a summer hackathon, where students can come together to learn, create, and have fun. Shah said he was inspired after attending a hackathon and wanted to “go big or go home” as the board members approached their final year of high school.
A hackathon is a great way for students to learn and have fun.
As the RCA expands, with over 25 volunteers and mentors and 2,400 members, the organization plans to offer more online courses and host e-waste collection events across the Eastside and Seattle in 2024.
The RCA’s mission is to provide coding education to students of all ages, while also promoting environmental sustainability through their e-waste collection initiative. With their dedication and hard work, the RCA is set to make a significant impact in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
