CodeScty

Welcome to CodeScty! Shout out to you for joining us on this journey to transform computer science education! Our aim is to increase access and engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) to more diverse communities. From music, to memes, to internet culture, we all know young people are digital natives and self-motivated learners. They can master any skill they are interested in, driven by their ability to use technology to create culture and community.

About
At CodeScty we use original hip hop music, videos & experiential activities to teach computer science and computational thinking concepts to young people. Imagine Schoolhouse Rock for computer science - but lit!

Our suite of content includes original music, videos, and curricula that provides a foundational understanding of computational thinking and technology, in preparation for more advanced computer science education. Our curriculum, accessible through our mobile app and website, includes our content, as well as a facilitation guide for bringing it alive in the computer science classroom. Our goal is to transform young people from passive users of technology to innovative problem solvers and developers that can create the society they imagine. In a soundbite, we teach how to think before learning how to code.

Our Approach:
Imagine learning a concept by listening to a song. Think about how quickly you learn the rules of a game by playing it. At CodeScty, we recognize the power of youth culture - so we take key computer science concepts - and transform them into lyrics to create original music and video content. Our content and curriculum respond to the cultures of the communities we serve, and uses youth culture as a springboard to create relevant, tangible connections to content that is abstract and often difficult to grasp.

For example, we use viral dance videos to illustrate the concept of algorithmic design and pattern recognition, use emojis to introduce programming languages, and Youtube influencers to talk about the power of data. To demonstrate their understanding, students apply computer science concepts to real-world problems in their communities they create art, prototype tools, and envision solutions that can address issues that affect them and shape our world.
As a result, culturally relevant connections boost confidence and awaken a sense of ownership over a student’s learning experience.

Why CodeScty?

It’s no secret that black and brown youth are being excluded from the future of tech. As Silicon valleys spring up across the country - so too does the gap widen between areas with and without access to technology. Young black and brown youth are the highest consumers of digital technologies, yet they don’t build the tech they use. While many coding organizations focus interventions in black and brown communities, they often struggle to engage and retain young people in their programs. We offer support, through content, professional development, training and programming, to schools and organizations so they can implement high quality culturally relevant curriculum and content that engages students in computer science concepts and sets them on a path to be excited, motivated and successful in this burgeoning field.

We understand that our young people are digital natives who face a myriad of global issues that will require creativity, innovative thinking, and an understanding of technology to solve. From the climate crisis to immigration, to a future heading towards mechanization, automation, and artificial intelligence, young people need the tools to engage in the technology ecosystem, and to understand its impact on our society. Our approach not only teaches foundational computer skills and concepts, but delivers a critical understanding of how technology profoundly shapes our world, and how it can be used to address these global issues.