During the 2022-2023 school year, more than 100 students in Dallas ISD had the opportunity to learn how to code in an after-school program developed by the local nonprofit Bold Idea.
Students at select Dallas ISD campuses from grades 3-12 were able to enroll in 28 weeks of ideaSpark Coding Clubs for free.
The clubs offered participants the chance to learn computer programming through an immersive curriculum centered on project-based learning. With technology professionals from companies such as State Farm and TEKsystems as their mentors, participating students dabbled in creating exciting coding projects involving websites and video games.
Students explored various programming languages, from Scratch to Javascript. Some participated at their neighborhood campus, while others participated online.
The CEO and founder of Bold Idea, Robyn Brown, views this as more than just an educational initiative. For her, it is about kindling creativity, nurturing problem solvers, and fostering access to technology for all students.
“Our mission is to expand access to computer science for all students, especially our youngest learners, and create a pathway for students to careers in technology,” she told the North Dallas Gazette.
In addition to Bold Idea’s ideaSpark clubs, other programs have been put forth by local nonprofits looking to check some of the learning loss in the district caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. Dallas ISD’s student achievement outcomes have been struggling for years, and recently released STAAR exam scores show little to no improvement.
Eight Dallas ISD schools are currently part of Bold Idea’s program:
- Margaret B. Henderson Jr. Elementary School
- Rosemont Lower and Upper School
- Whitney M. Young Jr. Elementary School
- Dallas Hybrid Preparatory at Stephen J. Hay
- Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Middle School
- Dr. Frederick Douglass Todd Sr. Middle School
- William B. Lipscomb Elementary School
- Jack Lowe Sr. Elementary School
The nonprofit will be adding three more schools to its partnership for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year:
- Mark Twain School for the Talented and Gifted
- George B. Dealey Vanguard Elementary School
- John Neely Bryan Elementary School
Registration for the program opens in August.
Non-Dallas ISD students residing in the metroplex wishing to participate in Bold Idea’s other Coding Clubs can do so either in-person at Dallas College Eastfield or Brookhaven or virtually for a fee of $1,250. They run from September to May, with sessions after school from Monday to Thursday and on Saturday.
