Kids Who Code

What is Kids Who Code?

Kids Who Code gives BYU students the opportunity to mentor kids and help teach coding in Provo schools and community centers. To those interested in gaining exposure to basic programming or sharing their expertise with youth in the community, this is an ideal, low-lift way to get involved.

We welcome all volunteers regardless of their background in teaching or programming; we just need individuals willing to work with kids of various age groups who are excited to code! We currently volunteer at schools and community centers throughout Provo City with an emphasis on teaching kids from low-income families. We believe that our program can help in making a more diverse and qualified workforce in technology, both by educating kids and the volunteers themselves.

Our Fall/Winter programs teach block coding and intermediate JavaScript primarily to kids in grades 3rd-6th, but potentially ranging up to 12th. We are currently working on our summer programs and welcome all with an interest in helping build our program.

A note to all pre-graduate school students (Ph.D., medical, dental, PA, veterinary, etc): Part of our mission is to lessen the barrier to entry for college students picking up practical coding skills. Our volunteer pool includes published authors and standout students who would love to share advice and opportunities with you. Please feel free to reach out to learn about this aspect of our mission.

How Do I Get Involved?

Volunteer Description: We need volunteers to come with us to different schools and community centers to facilitate a structured curriculum and help these kids learn how to code through fun projects and in-class competitions. The curriculum will be provided, and you don't need an extensive background in coding to do this -we will have a main teacher with a coding background there. Come volunteer and learn how to code at the same time! Your role as a volunteer will be to interact with, inspire, and mentor the kids on a one-on-one basis and have opportunities to teach simple coding lessons in Python. You can learn as much as you are interested in and network with bright BYU volunteers.

Volunteer Commitment: We prefer that you commit to a one hour, once-a-week program at a particular school for the duration of a semester so that you can build relationships with the kids, but this is not required. We are happy to have volunteers whenever they can make it!

STEP 1:

Please join our Microsoft Teams and connect with our Lead Program Director. Even if you are not sure of your commitment or qualifications, we encourage you to connect with us and learn more about what we can do for you. Click here to join our Teams channel.

STEP 2:

All volunteers must complete this mandatory 25-minute Minor Protection Training before you begin working with the children. Once completed, please download your certificate and send it to kidswhocode@byu.edu.

BECOME A LEADER

Volunteer Leader Description: There are two kinds of leadership positions: Lead Program Director and Program Director. A program only has one Lead Program Director, but multiple Program Directors. Leaders are generally responsible for overseeing recruitment, retention, and reflection with volunteers. They also coordinate service with community partners and ensure their program runs smoothly. Volunteer leaders may also share the responsibilities of volunteers as outlined in the Volunteer Description. For more information, visit our section called Be a Leader!

Volunteer Leader Commitment: In addition to volunteering, Volunteer leaders commit to a 1-hour monthly team meeting to discuss needs and make plans for the program.

Step 1:

Apply to become a leader by completing the application below: