School Year 2022-2023 Impact Update
The 2022-2023 school year was a remarkable journey, filled with an abundance of joy, perseverance in the face of challenges, and invaluable lessons learned from productive failures as we brought the magic of Computer Science education to nearly 9,000 elementary school students. As we reflect on the past year, we cannot help but be immensely proud of the work we have accomplished. Below is a peek into the milestones we achieved, and as you continue reading, join us in commemorating yet another successful year of bringing Computer Science to more kids in more LA communities.
Our incredible impact is made possible by the generosity of our donors like you. With your support, we're thrilled to continue expanding our reach and making a lasting difference next year. Join us in our mission by donating today and help us start next year strong, empowering more students with the transformative power of Computer Science education.
Meet Our Computer Science Education Heroes
On Friday, June 2nd, we gathered to honor our 2023 Computer Science Education Heroes. The Computer Science Education Heroes Award recognizes the work of extraordinary elementary Computer Science educators. These educators have dedicated their valuable time to providing their students with the early CS education they need to develop the computational thinking and problem-solving skills necessary to become 21st-century citizens.
2023 CS Education Heroes
⭐ Ms. Galicia, 3rd-grade teacher at Anderson Elementary School
⭐ Mr. Chavarin, 5th-grade teacher at Mayo Elementary School
⭐ Mr. Acuna, 2nd-grade teacher at 118th St Elementary School
⭐ Ms. Bennett and Ms. Bolita, Principal and Instructional Coach at Sylvan Park Elementary School
Student Spotlight: Meet Mason
Mason is a 5th-grader at Beethoven Elementary School. When asked why he enjoys coding class, Mason shared, "I really like coding because it's fun and challenging and I love challenges. My favorite thing to do with coding is write functions and loops."
Computer Science Education Week
In celebration of Computer Science Education Week, 9 Dots teamed up with Google and software engineers from 11 LA-based tech companies to host 16 guest speaker events at LAUSD and CUSD Title-I elementary schools, reaching thousands of students. Our guest speakers shared their experiences working in tech, including their education and career journeys, and invaluable advice to encourage our young student coders to continue learning and embrace challenges. Students were amazed to see photos of tech offices, learn about how things like Chromebooks are built, and hear that there are opportunities for everyone in tech no matter where they come from or what they’re interested in. We're so grateful to all the volunteers who took the time to inspire our students.
9 Dots x Sony Santa Monica Studio
At the start of May 5th-graders from 96th Street STEAM Academy traveled to Sony Santa Monica Studio. With the help of the Sony Santa Monica staff, students learned what it takes to make a video game - from building community to creating characters to the programming that makes a game work; students got a well-rounded look into what it’s like to work in a collaborative, creative environment.
By the end of the field trip, students wanted to know how they could someday work at Santa Monica Studios and how they can start building their own video games today.
