Meet Kiera, a young coding enthusiast who discovered her passion for programming at the age of eight through a school STEM program. Starting with Scratch, Kiera quickly fell in love with the creative possibilities of coding. Her early experiences have set her on a promising path in the digital world.
Kiera’s Coding Journey
Kiera’s coding education began when her family moved to a new area. They were looking for ways for her to enhance her programming abilities and decided to enroll her in a local coding center. “When we moved here, we saw a place where she could go in person and do some coding, and she really enjoyed it,” her mom explains. Unfortunately, the center closed down, prompting her family to search for alternatives. “My husband researched and found CodeWizardsHQ online and read great reviews about it, so we decided to sign her up for one of the classes,” her mom added.
The decision to choose CodeWizardsHQ was influenced not only by the positive reviews but also by the variety of classes offered. Kiera had already developed a certain level of proficiency, and they were able to place her in a class that matched her skills. “She just kind of comes by it naturally. She’s very logical,” Kiera’s mom explained. “I do data analysis for work, and she has seen some of the stuff that I do, and she just naturally gets it. When we put some options out there for different activities, coding was one that she was drawn to and wanted to try.”
Thriving at CodeWizardsHQ
The experience with CodeWizardsHQ has been overwhelmingly positive for Kiera and her family. “Registration has been easy, and we appreciate the weekly emails that show us her progress and what they covered in class,” her mom said. These updates help the family keep track of Kiera’s homework and quizzes. Kiera also shares her class projects with her parents, showcasing her coding skills and the games she creates.
Kiera relates why she is drawn to coding and technology. “I like puzzles and logic, and I enjoyed learning about technology. When I heard about coding, I decided to give it a try, and I’ve enjoyed it ever since.” Kiera is now 11 and enrolled in her fifth class at CodeWizards, Modular Programming with Python.
Kiera enjoys projects that allow for creativity within a structured framework. CodeWizardsHQ instructors encourage students to personalize their programming projects. This helps to inspire and motivate students along their coding journey. “My favorite projects are when the slides give us a basic assignment, and then we get to make it our own,” she said. She particularly enjoyed a recent trivia project and a dinosaur restaurant project where they randomized the food orders.
She also likes working with data, specifically as it relates to dictionaries and lists. She is looking forward to learning more text-based programming with Python and sees herself eventually in a behind-the-scenes IT career.
Beyond Coding: Diverse Interests
Beyond her coding classes, Kiera has a variety of interests. Her favorite school subjects are math and social studies. Kiera has participated in gymnastics for several years, focusing on floor and trampoline exercises. “I like just bouncing really high and flying through the air,” she said. Kiera also enjoys reading realistic fiction. Additionally, Kiera helps coach her younger brother’s baseball team, handling stats and assisting in the dugout.
Kiera has recently started participating in local theater, specifically managing lights for community theater productions. “The system we use is kind of like what a DJ would use,” she explained. Kiera’s role in theater involves both programming and running the light shows, which she finds to be a unique and enjoyable experience. “On show days, it’s just me sitting there through a three-hour musical, hitting the light queue the entire time,” she said. This experience has given her a unique skill set that complements her coding abilities.
As Kiera continues to explore her interests and develop her skills, she remains an enthusiastic and dedicated student at CodeWizardsHQ. Her journey in coding is just beginning, and her story is a testament to the power of finding the right educational opportunities and the impact of supportive parents and teachers. Kiera’s future in coding and technology looks bright, and we are excited to see where her journey takes her. Her instructor, Tyler Crocker agrees.
The most fulfilling part of teaching Kiera is her ability to take our concepts and relate it to her experiences from life. Not only does it help me by giving me more examples to use for other classes but it helps her classmates get another perspective of the concept. This really shows in her code work and the questions she asks as well! Kiera has a great ability to apply herself and I am certain her hard work will drive her to excel at anything she tries.
Tyler Crocker, CodeWizardsHQ Instructor
