What Too Much Screen Time Means For Your Kids

By Jeff Grogan

It seems like everyone in the world has a smartphone these days, and kids are adopting technology faster than we can share it with them. Studies show that with this increase in availability, children and adults alike spend vastly more time in front of a screen than they did 10 or even five years ago. But are screens really the harbingers of eye strain and attention deficit everyone claims they are?

Negative effects of screen time

Physical effects

Many studies have compiled brain scans of internet-addicted patients and compared them to their non-addicted peers to determine what effects screen time might have on developing brains. Scientists discovered the following characteristics of screen-addicted brains:

• Loss or shrinkage of gray matter, particularly in the frontal lobe and striatum, associated with decision-making and empathy, respectively
• Thinner cortex tissue, which has been correlated with lower cognitive ability
• Impaired dopamine function similar to scans of drug addicted patients

In addition, overexposure to advertisements, particularly food, can increase children’s risk of developing obesity. Screen time is always less physically stimulating than physical activity, and kids tend to spend nearly twice as much time on screens than playing outside.

Though startling, these results are worst-case scenarios and only occur due to long-term, dramatic lifestyle changes that revolve around technology, gaming, and internet use. It does not mean every screen will deteriorate your brain tissue, but it does mean we must be careful about how often we use screens and what we use them for.

Psychological and developmental effects

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) outlines a few key correlations between increased screen time and developmental challenges in young children. However, they point out that “content is crucial: experimental evidence shows that switching from violent content to educational/prosocial content results in significant improvement in behavioral symptoms.” That said, their studies have found screen use in early childhood puts kids at risk for:

• Cognitive, language, and social delays in development
• Decreases in parent-child interactions
• Poor executive functioning in preschoolers

In addition, parents’ technology use can dramatically impact their young ones’ development. Preliminary research has revealed infants show distress when they seek their mother’s attention but find her distracted by a device.

Excessive use of technology for the wrong reasons can impair vital relationships, but only when these tools are misused or misunderstood.

Benefits associated with screen time

Some studies point out that not all media is equal. For example, spending five hours sitting in front of the TV watching violent crime shows is different than watching a nature documentary, then playing a movement game (a la Wii Fit), interspersed with texting your friends. The latter example is a more blended, real-life scenario that many studies have failed to account for.

In addition, screens are being used in classrooms around the world to benefit learning. Computer programs and devices have been developed to help kids with specific learning disabilities master content using the style of communication they understand. Increasing the availability and quality of these assistive technologies will allow them to help children thrive no matter their circumstances.

So how much screen time should my child have per day?

Let’s start with some basic guidelines. Research agrees that parents shouldn’t let their kids use screens before they reach 2 years old. Between the ages of 2 and 5, the AAP recommends limiting use of non-educational screen time to under an hour per day.

Beyond age 5, it’s up to parents whether they allow their children full access to digital technologies. Being a more informed parent and screen user may help you decide how much is too much screen time, and which content will cause more harm than help.

Ways to limit screen time

You have a powerful influence over your children as a parent. If your kids always see you distracted by your phone or buried in your laptop, they will mimic your behavior. Choose to limit your own screen time as you also ask your children to. You can also take specific steps to reduce the noise and screen time in your house:

• Don’t leave the TV on as “background noise”
• Limit the number of screens available in your child’s room
• Leave the TV off during dinner or while doing homework
• Decide what you want to watch before turning the TV on, and avoid surfing the channels after you’ve seen your shows

Limiting non-educational screen time may be hard for your kids to adjust to at first, but they have a better chance at developing strong minds and healthy bodies if you make that choice.

Jeff Grogan is a professional freelance writer and editor. He supports Bold Idea because he believes in the unifying, empowering effect programming can have on students. Bold Idea inspires him to work graciously and meet practical needs with the skills he has.

Mentor Monday: Meet Benjamin

Meet Benjamin...

What is something many people don’t know about you?
I have been dogsledding and camping on the frozen lakes of Northern Minnesota.

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
I first started programming (JAVA) as a college freshman. When I ran my first program I felt as though I had landed in the world of Harry Potter and had been given my first wand. Ever since, I’ve been delighted by how much mathematics and analysis can be automated via programming.

What did you study in college?
I have a B.S. in Industrial & Systems Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and I am currently pursuing a M.S. in Geospatial Information Science at UT Dallas.

What are you working on now?
My graduate research is focused on developing a model that assesses the risk of a traffic accident occurring on any given segment of an urban road network based on dynamic and static data, including historical accidents, nearby accidents, road characteristics, network structure, weather, and time of day. To this end I am using techniques including spatiotemporal clustering, network kernel density estimation, and space syntax methodology and tools including R, Python, ESRI ArcGIS, and QGIS. Ultimately, this spatial risk modeling is part of a larger project funded by the National Institution of Standards and Technology (NIST) and in conjunction with the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department to improve the safety and response time of emergency vehicle dispatching. 

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
Watching students debugging programs is by far the most rewarding part of mentoring. The students begin the process frustrated that their code isn’t working, but after they are able to successfully diagnose the problem they become so pleased with themselves. Seeing them increase their confidence through this process is a delight.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
I wish I could tell my younger self not to be scared of how incomprehensible code seemed. I think I was worried that I would break something by modifying or experimenting with pre-existing code. 

What is it about Bold Idea’s mission that really connect with you?
Software and electronics have become so ubiquitous in our society now, so I think it is important that new generations be equipped to not simply be consumers of technology, but also have some understanding about what happens “under the hood” of all this technology. By reaching kids at a young age, I think that Bold Idea is contributing to a greater level of technological literacy in the next generation. Whatever career each Bold Idea student ends up pursuing they will always have some broad idea of how cell phones, computers, and the internet work.

6 Areas of Study that Blend Well with Computer Science

By Jeff Grogan

Programmers, IT professionals and even your internet repair man can be portrayed as niche occupations. So when students show interest in computer science at a young age, they can be discouraged by those who think programming is a distraction from their “real” education. In reality, studying computer science has practical benefits for just about every subject area, not to mention ample career opportunities.

Math and science

At its core, much of computer science is built on mathematical principles; programs move step-by-step to accomplish tasks and are designed to either work or fail — no room for gray areas. Coding also uses variables extensively, and search tools use complicated algorithms to deliver relevant results quickly. These basic searching techniques are often the first steps to learning coding concepts like if/then parameters and recursion sorting.

Computer science has also revolutionized statistical analysis by giving computers the freedom to learn from previous information and scale up to account for massive amounts of data. By teaching programs to gather data, sort it and pick out what’s relevant, students will practice valuable analytical steps that also appear in countless biology, chemistry and physics experiments.

Language arts and history

Coding is a type of storytelling; it involves a beginning, middle and end. When programmers forget a line or put events out of order, their program won’t work. Troubleshooting broken code teaches students to pay careful attention to the progression of events in a concrete way.

Similarly, the heart of learning history is understanding cause and effect relationships. Chaining together character movements in Scratch is a lot like sorting the events that contribute to major discoveries and revolutions. In addition, computational thinking helps students disassemble complicated historical trends into simpler, more manageable parts. It’s a lot easier to grasp the myriad influences of the industrial revolution if you’ve built a web page using several different coded elements.

Research shows kids who write simple programs involving school content will learn that content better than peers who studied it normally. For instance, creating a flashcard app for an upcoming vocabulary test may be all the review a computer science student needs.

Art and design

Although phrases like “computational thinking” and “algorithmic problem-solving” seem to belong exclusively to non-artistic subjects, computer science principles can also improve artists’ creative ability.

Teaching computer science to students relies heavily on having them identify flaws and improve them with code. Artists, especially designers, deal with these same themes every day. Equipping creative minds with analytical power puts real-world relevance in the things they create.

Another misconception about programming is that it stifles self-expression. On the contrary, students and professionals find deep satisfaction in the code they create because it gives them a highly organized place to make their thoughts reality. Take one computer science student study participant, who wrote the following reflection in her research journal:

CompsciStudent kathy = new CompsciStudent();
kathy.studyLikeAManiac(1);
kathy.comeUpWithFinalProjectIdeas();
kathy.goCrazyOverFinalProjectFormatting();
kathy.jumpForJoyBecauseTheButtonsArePrettyColors();
kathy.studyLikeAManiac(2);
kathy.moreFInalProject();
kathy.wowI‟veLearnedLotOfCompsci();
kathy.sixDaysIsNotEnoughtToGetThisDone();
kathy.crapThereIsAQuizTomorrowOnMuchHarderStuffThanMatrices();
kathy.codeWritingforJournalEntries?_wowIHaveAProblem();
System.exit(0);

Finally, consider that most modern animated movies and TV shows involve tons of coding. Computer science is responsible for increasingly realistic physics, human movement, and scenery in both video games and film. If you want to pursue a career in any of these fields, picking up even a basic knowledge of coding will serve you well.

One subject, many applications

Kids who study computer science learn concepts in coding that apply to all areas of their education. Computational thinking skills are practical and enriching, as they equip students to think critically and deeply about how to solve problems. Most importantly, however, kids have fun bringing their ideas to life through code. This excitement empowers them to pursue open-ended problems even when they’re difficult.

Jeff Grogan is a professional freelance writer and editor. He supports Bold Idea because he believes in the unifying, empowering effect programming can have on students. Bold Idea inspires him to work graciously and meet practical needs with the skills he has.

Pair Programming Creates Better Code

By Jeff Grogan

When you picture a computer programmer, chances are he or she is hunched over a keyboard in a dark room, chugging energy drinks with one hand and typing furiously with the other. Much more often, though, programmers work in pairs and in clean, well-lit offices.

Programming pairs are made of a "driver" and a "navigator." The driver types code into the computer while the navigator catches typos and suggests additions or changes. Programmers switch roles frequently during a project, which fosters their deep knowledge of the program and allows each partner to practice both skills.

Why not work alone?

Some software engineers still hold onto the superhero (or villain) mantra, "I work alone." To be sure, pair programming has serious trade-offs to consider, but research makes clear this technique has real benefits in many situations.

Someone's watching you

Partners place valuable pair-pressure on one another, since each wants to impress the other with his or her coding and proofreading skills. This pressure helps keep both programmers focused, reducing time following wild goose chases during troubleshooting.

Pair programmers also gain opportunities to teach their partners, which either solidifies their knowledge or corrects their mistakes. Studies also show young programmers who work in pairs show increased persistence when facing a problem. All these factors help equip students with the confidence and skills to take on challenging tasks alongside a constant, supportive peer.

Worth the cost

Common sense would tell employers that hiring two programmers to work on a single project means spending twice as much money as necessary. However, results from a University of Utah experiment reveal otherwise: "Because the pairs worked in tandem, they were able to complete their assignments 40–50% more quickly."

In addition, pairs have been found to produce code with much fewer mistakes than individually written code. The cost of finding and fixing errors makes pair programming at least as efficient — and certainly less of a hassle — than working alone.

More fun with a friend

Pair programming is not only a worthwhile investment, it also helps coders to enjoy their job! The same study at the University of Utah found 96% of professional pair programmers enjoyed their pair-programming tasks more than when they programmed alone.

Young programmers also overwhelmingly enjoy working in pairs. One researcher in the UK found that successful programming partnerships increased middle school students' favorability toward computer science and likelihood of continuing to study the subject.

Immeasurable results

Simply talking to children engaged with computer science can tell you what any number of scientific surveys have struggled to document: Kids who have fun learning at a young age are much more likely to become lifelong learners. Pair programming helps even the most introverted young people express themselves and invent new ideas with their partners and friends.

Jeff Grogan is a professional freelance writer and editor. He supports Bold Idea because he believes in the unifying, empowering effect programming can have on students. Bold Idea inspires him to work graciously and meet practical needs with the skills he has.

Be Weird

Long-time Bold Idea mentors Rishabh, Karthik and Avinash are currently studying computer science at The University of Texas at Austin, and we miss them a lot! We were inspired by their message of 'Be Weird' at Demo Day Spring 2017 and knew it had to be our theme for the 2017/2018 school year. The image below is our t-shirt design. :-D

In this article, they explain their thinking behind 'Be Weird.'

By Rishabh, Karthik and Avinash

One of the most underlying philosophies that a child learns during their young ages is to follow the rules, be disciplined, and be a good kid. They shouldn’t question why they should be a good kid, but rather live with it. Now, it’s certainly preferable that we all act civil to one another but sometimes society restricts an ebbing flow of potential from our brightest and youngest minds. Sometimes we get too caught up in being just like everyone else to the point that we don’t know what makes us “us” anymore. And then life suddenly stops being fun. It shouldn’t be like that. Be weird. From all of us at Bold Idea, we tell you to be weird. 

To those who may be reading this with a raised eyebrow, we are not advocating a broad definition of “weirdness” that involves inappropriate behavior or such. To us, weirdness it thinking outside the norm and challenging our typical beliefs. Think different, be unique and surprise yourself with every idea that you come up. Every idea should reach for the stars and be planted in the back of your subconscious. iPhones, laptop, spaceships, cars, or hoverboards would not have been created if we, society, did not have weird people. 

As a young student struggling to fit in and conform with other classmates, it can be hard to have the courage to be weird. Being weird means you don’t hide the things that make you unique; it means that you embrace them. Being weird means that you’re the group member who suggests the outrageous idea that no one else could think of. That idea turns into so much more. When you think something, anything is cool, pursue it. Don’t let those thoughts in the back of your head about what your friends think deter you.

Furthermore, being weird is also about enjoying what you do and having fun. Everything from your health to your productivity is better when you are having fun. So, spend every moment in the classroom in a good mood. Enjoy the projects you work on this semester and put a touch on it that makes it YOURS. 

Near the end of the semester, there will come a time when you will get to reveal what you’ve been doing to “be weird” this semester: Demo Day. This going to be a chance for you to show who you are. It is going to be your moment in the spotlight, so don’t hold back. While there will be many people watching you, remember that your demo will be as good as your mood. Go out there, have fun, and show us how you are living life to “Be Weird!”

3D Game Development: September Update

The ideaSpark gaming course is delivered in two parts this school year. During the fall semester, students are learning the basics in programming and game development. They will learn to create 3D characters and games starring their characters. With the basics under their belt, students will have more creative freedom in the spring semester to create their own unique 3D game, with support from their mentors and teammates.

What are students creating this month? 
Students started by creating 3D shapes like a sphere, cube and cylinder in Javascript, a popular programming language. Then, they learned to combine these shapes into characters, or avatars in gaming speak. Students can now control the avatar’s movements and will soon create a ‘world’ for the avatar to exist in.

How did they create and animate the avatar?
Yes, math was involved! Basic geometry and artistry are used to create the shapes that make up each student pair’s avatar. To give a 3D effect, students learn to position avatars on an x, y, z coordinates plane. We also introduce programming concepts like variables and functions, which help students write code once and use it repeatedly in their game program. It’s also  important to note that students are using coding tools that professionals use every day, like an integrated development environment (or IDE). 

What new skills are students developing?
By working in pairs, students grow in their ability to communicate and problem solve with another person. They are able to exercise their creative and artistic side, while working their left-side logical brain. Students also gain experience using programming basics that are common across any language or project.

Why are we teaching game development?
It’s hard not to find a kid (or adult) who is not passionate about games. We knew this course would keep students engaged and would offer a fun, creative project for them to share with others. (“Play my game!”). Did you also know that game design and development is a popular area of study at many universities, including UT Dallas, and a fast-growing career? In fact, over 30 gaming companies call Dallas home, including Gearbox Software and Zynga, maker of Words with Friends. Ultimately, the computer science and 21st century skills students learn in this course will help them success in any career or field of study.
 

Mentor Monday: Meet Amy

Amy Czuchlewski is a member of the Bold Idea Board of Directors and also serves as a mentor for our CS First program. Skilled in mobile technologies and building effective engineering teams, Amy is the VP of Engineering at Bottle Rocket.

Bringing her passion for equitable access to computer science education, especially among girls, she is a strong asset to the Bold Idea team.

Meet Amy...

What is something many people don't know about you?
I come from a family of computer wizards.  My dad was a systems administrator (cool story - back in the 50's he was working in yards & grounds at Kellogg's and they were looking for young guys to learn about computers so with no college degree he worked in IT at Kellogg's for 43 years!), my sister taught high school computer science, my brother was a database administrator, and my mom was an administrative assistant and we all know that they are the ones who really know how all the computers really work in an office.

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
My dad had a computer in our basement, and I used to spend time down there teaching myself to program it using BASIC.  I didn't realize that what I was doing was actually "programming", I was just making graphics and setting them to music.  Eventually I took an aptitude test in high school that said computer programmer would be a good career for me, and the pieces just fell into place.

What did you study in college?
I have a bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan.

What are you working on now?
I am the VP of Engineering at Bottle Rocket, a mobile/connected device specialist that defines, designs, and develops applications that connect future-focused brands to their customers.  Our more than 350 iOS, Android, wearable, AR/VR, voice, web, and TV experiences have set new standards in connecting people to what they want and are redefining how they live their lives.  To learn more, visit us at bottlerocketstudios.com.  I'm incredibly lucky that I get to do what I love, every day!

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
I love spending those two hours every week with my daughter, sharing something I love with her and getting her excited about coding.  One of the coolest things that's happened for me while mentoring is that we have this one student in the CS First program, a girl, who is by far the most talented coder in the group and everyone knows it.  The rest of the children (even the boys) go to her for help and I think that is just amazing to watch.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
Coding is just like solving puzzles - it's fun!

What is it about Bold Idea's mission that really connects with you?
I read that 99% of parents want their children to learn computer science but only 40% of schools in Dallas actually offer it in the curriculum.  I think its great that Bold Idea is working with schools, community centers and local area tech companies to expand the reach and make computer science education accessible to more of our students here in the Dallas area.  Not only is it helping build future technologists in our students, but it is creating a community among the mentors as well!

Mentor Monday: Meet Todd

Meet Bold Idea volunteer Todd James: a Bank of America business analyst on weekdays and a mentor for our east Dallas middle school coding team on Saturdays. 

Todd is passionate about increasing the diversity found on most IT development teams and enjoys supporting the diverse student teams at Bold Idea — "Anyone can code and everyone should have a chance to learn these skills which have real world applications."

Meet Todd...

What is something many people don’t know about you?
I was a foreign exchange student to Brazil in High School.  It was an amazing experience and has fueled my passion for travel as an adult.

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
I’ve always had a natural curiosity in technology.  As a kid, I used to take apart my electronic toys when I got bored with them.  When I was in 5th grade I burnt out an old hand me down computer by forcing an even older Atari game cartridge into the expansion slot, needless to say my parents weren't too happy.  I took a deeper interest in programming when I began a job performing application support at a telecom which paired me with development teams to troubleshoot and resolve a number of problems.  The satisfaction of resolving these issues has been a motivating force.

What did you study in college?
I got my Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technology in college.

What are you working on now?
My latest position is as a Business Analyst with Bank of America.

What have you gained from being a mentor?  What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
For me, mentoring has been a chance to shake things up a bit and give back to my community. It’s rewarding to watch students successfully tackle problems with the tools and advice we’ve taught them.  My favorite part of the program is watching students perform their demos at the end of the semester.

Is there anything you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
I would have changed my major in college.

What is it about Bold Idea’s mission that really connects with you?
I love the diversity in these Bold Idea classes and they do not match the typical IT development departments I’ve worked in.  Anyone can code and everyone should have a chance to learn these skills which have real world applications.

Mentor Monday: Meet Sukhmani

Sukhmani Sandhu has mentored Bold Idea students as young as 6 and as old at 14. The UT Dallas senior discovered coding in college and is passionate about encouraging young students to give it a try.  

Meet Sukhmani...

What is something many people don't know about you?
I love to draw and paint. Many people are surprised that I am interested in math and science as well as more artistic subjects. I believe that it is important for the students to know that art and math (or science) are not mutually exclusive, but actually interact in very interesting ways.

How did you become interested in tech and programming?
I was always interested in building things and taking things apart. I would always ask for Legos and other building toys for my birthdays. I joined the robotics club in middle school and was able to learn more about technology and engineering. As I got older, I was able to combine this with my interest in medicine, through biomedical engineering.

What are you studying in college?
I am a senior (woot woot!) at UT Dallas, studying Biomedical Engineering.

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
While mentoring, I have realized that I really enjoy teaching. I am now open to career paths that I had previously not considered.

My most memorable moment while mentoring happened a few semesters ago, when a student came in on the first day, acting as if she was quite uninterested in coding. The other mentors and I had to persuade her to participate in first activity of the session. But at the end of the day this same student seemed genuinely sad that the session was over and was eager to continue her project. Being a part of this development on the very first day, and throughout the rest of the semester, was incredibly fulfilling and memorable.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
I wasn't exposed to coding until I started college. Based on how much I loved it as soon as I started, I would tell my younger self to try it out, even if none of my friends are doing it.

What is it about Bold Idea's mission that really connects with you?
All students should have access to resources and skills that help them develop the ideas and create the projects that they are interested in. They should not have to limit their creativity because of a lack of knowledge of their own potential. Through the programs at Bold Idea, more students are exposed  to new technical and professional skills that will help them in future endeavors. 

Help Us Celebrate Our Birthday

On August 20, 2015, Bold Idea became an official public charity with 501(c)3 tax-exempt status. Since then (and even earlier), our organization has helped 400 students create their bold ideas as a team through the power of technology. 

In fact, the birthday cake above was coded in Javascript by Hope Ehlers, a Bold Idea student for the past two years. 

Give $20 on the 20th

Twenty dollars. What does that mean to you? Dinner and a movie? A few lattes? The latest bestseller?

But when hundreds of people put $20 into a charitable fund, just imagine the possibilities!

When you donate $20 on the 20th of each month (or whenever you can) to Bold Idea, you can help us mentor more young coders like Hope. Indeed, it can provide the resources a coding team needs to be successful: laptops, resource books, web hosting, training for volunteer mentors, and a Demo Day stage to share their projects.

So, please, this month, skip a few lattes. Donate $20 on the 20th!

Your support really means a lot.

---

"I've enjoyed Bold Idea because I like programming, and I made a lot of new friends. Programming needs a lot of creativity in order to actually program. And it makes me more of a better student, because I can take what I learned, like making a cake, and code a birthday present." 

- Hope Ehlers, 7th grade

> See Hope's birthday cake come alive!

A Year of Going Bold

An introduction to the Bold Idea fiscal year 2017 annual report.

Dear Bold Idea Friends,

Bold Idea strives to be a forward-thinking organization that prepares students in the Dallas community for 21st century success — and the progress we have made in fiscal year 2017 is helping us reach that goal.

With cooperation from parents and principal Rachel Moon, Bold Idea piloted the ideaSpark and CS First programs at Rosemont School in Dallas ISD - our first school partnership. Bold Idea served 32 students across 24 weeks at the elementary school in north Oak Cliff.

Support from new partners Microsoft, Pivotal Labs and Alliance Data enabled us to greatly expand Demo Demo — giving students a larger stage and screen. Student teams presented 43 creative projects, including mobile apps and websites.

After six months of hard work, 8th graders Shelby and Meredith presented their website ‘Service Match’ to 500+ Microsoft employees. The website connects nonprofits to student groups in need of service projects, built entirely by the two young coders.

In January, we introduced a curriculum for our youngest students in grades 3 – 5. The CS First program is designed by Google to introduce core computer science concepts for students with varied interests, like sports, art and games. Coinciding with the program launch was our new partnership with the Wesley-Rankin Community Center in west Dallas, where Bold Idea served 16 Hispanic students meeting at the Center after school.

Together, We Create

In a world dependent on computing, Bold Idea is giving students real-world experience creating their bold ideas as a team through technology — supported by professional engineers and creatives.

Today, most kids are going online to play video games. They download apps and connect with friends on their mobile devices. Bold Idea students are creating their own games and apps, using problem solving skills, creativity and computer programming skills. Through a highly-crafted curriculum and dedicated mentors, we teach students to create rather than just consume technology, and turn their device time into valuable teaching time.

#GoBold

At this time last year, we challenged our students and community to Go Bold — our theme in 2017. Together, we stepped up to the challenge.

• Our students went bold. Teams of young coders created over 650 computing projects.
• Our volunteer mentors went bold. Students received 3,948 hours of mentoring total, from a team of 67 mentors.
• Our donors went bold. Generous corporations, foundations and individuals gave over $66,000 in monetary and in-kind gifts to Bold Idea.

Growing our organization to meet the needs of 21st century students requires tireless dedication, leadership, vision and significant investment. Thank you for joining us on this journey — and for supporting Bold Idea.

On behalf of the Bold Idea Board of Directors and staff, it is my honor to present our 2017 Annual Report.

With gratitude,
Robyn Brown
Co-Founder and CEO

Mentor Monday: Meet Joey

In our opinion and the opinion of his 3rd–5th grade team, Joey Glover is a great mentor. "I like Joey, because he is funny!" 8-year old Alai'a told us. A skilled teacher, Joey has a unique ability to explain the most challenging computer science concepts to any age. For the past year, he has worked with our CS First elementary-age team meeting at UT Dallas' ATEC building and has succeeded in making coding approachable for his students. 

"He pushes them to make sure they understand the concepts presented in the CS First videos, and to go further, if they want," said his fellow mentor Stella Lin.

Meet Joey...

How did you become interested in tech and programming?
I feel like I have always been interested in technology and programming, but I think one of my greatest inspirations was playing the old game Roller Coaster Tycoon. It was just so magical to build cool rides and incredible to see all the people interacting together in the park, and it was all done through a really clever program, so it got me very interested.

What did you study in college?
Electrical Engineering

What are you working on now?
I work as a software engineer at Raytheon in the Identity Services department.  I am currently working on updating our development processes to the 21st century and coding various back end services to help other internal businesses interact with LDAP.

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
I really love to teach, so I've gained a place to be able to teach others, and to teach something I am passionate about.  My most memorable moment was when we were creating a platforming game and one of the students was spamming the screen with one of the sprites.  It was pretty hilarious, but kinda you had to be there. 

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?  
Don't be content with speculating about something that could easily be researched.  In relation to coding, this means if some piece of software does something interesting, don't just speculate about how it might be done in code, but instead look and search and read about how it was done. 

Is there anything about our mission that really connects with you?  
The thing that connects with me the most is the idea that all students deserve the opportunity to learn computer science.  I believe the more freely we exchange ideas and information the more quickly society will get better.  We are not the owners of any information, and the more we spread the information the more refined it will become over time.

Mentor Monday: Meet Quang

Quang Tran is a lead software engineer at Flywheel Building Intelligence in Dallas. During the spring semester, he volunteered as a mentor with 3rd–5th grade students at the Wesley-Rankin Community Center.

Meet Quang...

How did you become interested in tech and programming?
I started learning programming back in my high school in Vietnam. I didn’t really like programming back then because students mainly studied to compete. We had to remember boring algorithms and always programmed in Pascal. Fast forward to college, I decided to give programming another chance and it worked out beautifully. I enjoyed creating programs that actually help people. Understanding the magic that makes the computer work and overcoming programming challenges were also fun.

What did you study in college?
I earned my bachelor degree in Computer Science from UT Dallas. I majored in Biochemistry but after the first semester, it was clear that I am not interested in theoretical work. I wanted a career track with more hands-on experience and quicker iteration cycle. That’s why I switched to Computer Science (partly because of my high school background) and stick with it ever since.

What are you working on now?
I am a software engineer for Flywheel Building Intelligence Inc. We are building a cloud-based platform that offers real-time people, energy, and building management service.

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
Being a mentor confirms my interest in teaching, especially teaching programming to kids. Funny enough, my most memorable moment doesn’t come while mentoring. It was when Robyn and Ben brought in the programmable robots. The kids were so excited and immediately started to play with the robots on their own. That’s when I understand how important it is to gamify and brainstorm interesting activities in order to attract the kids.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
Being able to code something does not mean you should do it. You should always think about the big picture and align your work with the ultimate goal of the project. Your work must bring value to the product and your team.

Is there anything about our mission that really connects with you?
I always believe children are the future. Vietnam is a developing country. In order to reach its full potential, education and children must be the #1 investment. Bold Idea’s focus on developing and empowering young minds, especially through computer science - something related to my background, really resonates with my belief and personal interest.

Mentor Monday: Meet Stella

Editor's note: Stella Lin volunteers with Bold Idea's youngest students in our CS First program, which uses Google curriculum and the MIT Scratch platform. When she's not mentoring Bold Idea students, Stella is a program and project manager at Sprint. Read her journey below from the daughter of programmers to building macros in Excel and now Bold Idea.

Meet Stella...

By Stella Lin

Both of my parents were programmers. I remember playing with "punch cards" at my mom's office when I was growing up. She later tried to interest me in books on object-oriented programming in C, but I studied Economics in college. I didn't get the programming "bug" myself until I started working as a Financial Analyst and started to write my own "macros" to automate my reporting.

I decided to go back to school full-time to pursue a M.S. in M.I.S., but I found a job soon after through a consulting firm who offered to train me in the mainframe programming languages (like the ones my parents had worked with) that were in demand again during Y2K.  

I joined Sprint as a full-time employee after my contract ended, and was excited to use new middleware, which I later helped to rewrite in JAVA, to open up some of our mainframe programs to be accessed over the internet in my first development project after Y2K.

Fast forward a few years later, when my "Enterprise Web Solutions" team at Sprint was outsourced to IBM.  Instead of applying to be "rebadged" to IBM, I chose to stay at Sprint to work with my former "customers" on the business side and as an SME resource for the new IBM team.  

In many ways, I feel that this experience helped prepare me to be a CS First mentor because Google's curriculum has given the kids all the tools they need to complete the programs on their own, but they may sometimes need an "SME" to help point them in the right direction.

I really love seeing the kids' satisfaction when they are able to complete and run their programs in Scratch.  It reminds me of my first experiences building "macros" in Excel and Access, as opposed to reading about object-oriented programming concepts.

Open Positions on Bold Idea Board of Directors

Founded in 2015, Bold Idea is an education nonprofit based in Dallas that combines computer science, mentoring, and team-based learning to empower a diverse student population in Dallas and Collin Counties. Premised on the belief that computer science is foundational knowledge that ALL students need, Bold Idea's mission is to develop and empower young minds to execute their bold ideas as a team through the power of technology. Program participants learn computer science and 21st century skills through hands-on computing projects with support from trained, technical-skilled mentors.

Bold Idea's core educational programs, ideaSpark and CS First, serve boys and girls ages 8–16 of all demographics and socio-economic backgrounds. Delivered through both open-enrollment sessions and collaborations with schools and community centers, students learn and apply computer science skills via project-based learning. At the end of these after-school programs, students also develop skills in critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork and perseverance.

Board of Directors Recruitment

Bold Idea is a public charity with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Bold Idea’s immediate governing and fund development responsibilities rely on the support of a separate Board of Directors. The Board supports the work of Bold Idea and provides mission-based leadership and strategic governance. While day-to-day operations are led by Bold Idea’s president, the Board-President relationship is a partnership, and the appropriate involvement of the Board is both critical and expected.

Specific Board Member responsibilities

Leadership, governance and oversight

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the President as s/he develops and implements Bold Idea’s strategic plan
• Approve Bold Idea’s annual budget, audit/progress reports and material business decisions; being informed of, and meeting all, legal and fiduciary responsibilities
• Represent Bold Idea to stakeholders; acting as an ambassador for the organization
• Ensure Bold Idea’s commitment to a diverse board and staff that reflects the communities Bold Idea serves
• Determine which programs are consistent with the organization’s mission and monitor their effectiveness
• Contribute to an annual performance evaluation of the President
• Assist the President and Board Chair in identifying and recruiting other Board Members
• Partner with the Board Chair and other Board Members to ensure that board resolutions are carried out
• Serve on committees or task forces and taking on special assignments

Fundraising

Board members will consider Bold Idea a philanthropic priority and make annual gifts that reflect that priority. So that Bold Idea can credibly solicit contributions from foundations, organizations and individuals, Bold Idea requires that 100 percent of members make an annual contribution that is commensurate with their capacity, but no less than $2,500.

Board terms/participation

Bold Idea’s Board Members serve a two-year term to be eligible for reappointment for one additional term. Board meetings are held bi-monthly and committee meetings will be held in coordination with full board meetings. Board Members are also expected to attend at least one program event during the year.

Qualifications

This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual who is passionate about Bold Idea’s mission. Selected Board Members will have achieved leadership stature in business, philanthropy, education or the nonprofit sector. His/her accomplishments will allow him/her to attract other well-qualified, high-performing Board Members.

At this time, Bold Idea is seeking Board Members with specific experience in at least one of the following areas:

• fund development
• education
• strategic planning
• communications
• marketing
• budgeting
• finance

Ideal candidates will have the following qualifications:

• Extensive professional experience with significant executive leadership accomplishments in business, education, philanthropy or the nonprofit sector
• A commitment to and understanding of Bold Idea’s beneficiaries, preferably based on experience
• Savvy diplomatic skills and a natural affinity for cultivating relationships and persuading, convening, facilitating and building consensus among diverse individuals
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility and a passion for improving the lives of Bold Idea’s beneficiaries

Service on Bold Idea’s Board of Directors is without remuneration, except for administrative support, travel and accommodation costs in relation to Board Members’ duties.

Nomination Process

Submit your resume and one-page cover letter outlining interest and qualifications to Robyn Brown, robyn@boldidea.org.

Sponsor Spotlight: Alliance Data

We are proud to announce our Powered By sponsor for Demo Day Spring 2017: Alliance Data! 

Based in Plano, Texas, Alliance Data consists of three businesses that together employ more than 17,000 associates at approximately 100 locations worldwide. Though you might not know the name, you may have seen what the company does. Alliance Data is the engine behind loyalty and marketing campaigns for more than 1,000 consumer-facing companies worldwide across all industries: retail, travel, pharmaceutical, financial services, auto, and more.

The company's data-driven insight enables it to build dynamic and creative loyalty marketing programs and strengthen and deepen relationships between its clients and their customers. In today’s changing-by-the-minute digital landscape, that’s more crucial than ever.

Community impact
Alliance Data actively invests in the community to create a stronger, more engaged workforce and a vibrant, more sustainable society.

At Bold Idea, we are excited to kick off our collaboration with Alliance Data this month. The company's support of our third Demo Day event will have a huge impact on the students we serve in the ideaSpark program!

Mentor Monday: Meet Brian

Brian Nguyen is a senior at Plano East Senior High School and is already making plans to study computer science and statistics in college. 

Each week Brian mentors ideaSpark students meeting at the Frisco Athletic Center, and we're lucky to have him on the team.

Meet Brian...

How did you become interested in tech and programming?
I became interested in technology and programming when my father bought me a computer for my birthday. Through tinkering with my computer and sometimes breaking my computer, I became interested in the information technology space and have continued to follow innovations in computer hardware. My first programming experience was during my sophomore year when my Scientific Research and Design teacher wanted us to complete a Javascript sequence on Khan Academy for more classroom funds. I was amazed in how simple line of code in an online code editor can animate a picture or create games with complex interactions. 

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am a researcher at the University of Texas at Dallas under the mentorship of Dr. Richard Golden. I am currently working on a system to reduce breast cancer misdiagnosis rates through machine learning algorithms. Hopefully, in the summer, I can publish my findings in a scientific journal. 

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
As a mentor, I was able to learn new programming languages such as HTML and CSS alongside the children. Mentoring taught me to appreciate my computer science teachers, as teaching computer science concepts to young children is difficult, and I have never realized the difficulty before joining Bold Idea. My most memorable moment was when the children, during break time, played with their food with each other. As the children were playing with their food, I was reminded of my myself when I was young, and it taught me to embrace my inner child.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
I should’ve learned coding when I was younger. I had thought that coding was only for really smart people. There are plenty of communities and organizations dedicated to teaching children coding. If I was able to change my past, I would participate in programs like Bold Idea.  

Is there anything about our mission that really connects with you?
The universal aspect of the mission resonates with me because I believe that everyone should take a computer science course. Furthermore, the collaborative aspect of the mission appeals to me because my best and most fun work was with other people. Collaboration is a mainstay of human innovation, and we should foster a collaborative environment to improve our world.   

Mentor Monday: Meet Matt

Matt Dorsey mentors ideaSpark students this semester at our UT Dallas location. Just like the Jr. High students in our program, he started learning web development in his early teen years, so he's able to relate to their curiosity and motivation. Working from the AT&T Foundry in Plano, Matt is an applications developer for AT&T Partner Solutions.

Meet Matt...

How did you become interested in tech and programming?
When I was 13 my Dad brought home a copy of Front Page (WYSIWYG editor), which I used to make several websites. After a short while, I began looking through my websites’ source code which eventually got me writing raw HTML, CSS, and Javascript. I’d show my websites to my friends and word got around to my neighbors and business owners in the community who then hired me to build their websites. So it was a combination of curiosity and financial pull.

What did you study in college?
I earned my undergraduate degree in economics from UNT and a master’s degree in technology commercialization from UT Austin.  My part-time job as developer in college turned into a full-time job after graduation.

What are you working on now?
I work for AT&T Partner Solutions on the tools and technology team where I develop applications to assist collaborative efforts between our agents, solution providers and wholesale customers.

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
I discovered that I really enjoy teaching. My most memorable moment as a mentor (so far) was seeing one of the kids begin googling for developer knowledge that we hadn’t yet gone over as a class. He was really motivated.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
I think it’s really important to work on a development team with experienced, senior level coders, the first couple of years into a programming career.  There are a lot of silo developer jobs out there that can make it difficult to become a better programmer because there’s no one around to critique your code or push you onto better technologies.  

Is there anything about our mission that really connects with you?
I really like Bold Idea’s emphasis on teamwork and collaboration.  The kids are able to create better quality projects faster and become better coders through these collaborative team efforts.

Mentor Monday: Meet Jay

A long-time Bold Idea supporter, Jarriel Henderson joined our mentoring team this semester and works with Jr. High students at our Bottle Rocket site. Jarriel (Jay to the students) brings a passion for technology development to his role and is constantly pursuing his own DIY projects. We are very lucky he is now part of the Bold Idea family!

Meet Jay...

How did you become interested in tech and programming?
My school installed computers when I was in the 1st grade and I really enjoyed our lab time. As I got older, most of my time was spent at the library studying and learning about computers. I would often focus on learning what career would be smart to invest in; everything pointed to computers and technology. I love the barrier to entry with technology - doesn’t matter your background, all you need is patience and determination to succeed.

What did you study in college?
I studied Architecture and Civil Engineering at first, and then decided to pursue Interactive Media.

What are you working on now?
I work with Roger Wilco, a digital marketing agency focused on film production and live broadcasting.
    
I am working on a smart city tourism app.  After working in video and interactive media for a number of years, I’d like to create a connected TV app that helps urban communities explore their world through engaging stories and events tailored to their interests.

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring.
The one thing that I have gained from being a mentor is the joy of building relationships with the kids. I think that their curiosity along with creativity is contagious, and I always let them know that within this realm determination and patience is key. My most fond memory is working with students on their creative projects and sharing with them the art of problem solving and creativity. I think their curiosity is what fuels my own passion to teach.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
I would tell my younger self to invest more time into DIY/Maker initiatives and get hands on with electronics. Taking things apart to see how they functioned, as well as finding a solid mentor within the Technical field.

Is there anything about our mission that really connects with you?
I love connecting with our future leaders of tomorrow. I had excellent teachers in my life who helped shaped my outlook on life. Bold Idea is helping craft and prepare our children for a digital and innovative world! I am just fortunate and happy to take part in this great initiative.

Conditions: A Computational Way to Make Decisions

We often want to be able to do things in our programs “conditionally.” We want to be able to say “if this thing is true, then do X, but if this other thing is true, then do Y.”

The if-then statement allows the program to branch off and execute one of two different blocks of code. The if-statement starts by evaluating a Boolean clause. If this clause evaluates to be TRUE, the block of code conditioned on this if-statement is executed. If an else-statement is present, it can provide another block of code to be executed if the statement evaluated is FALSE. That’s Boolean logic in simple terms - a continual evaluation of TRUE and FALSE.

If you stop to think about it, then you’d see that we do things conditionally every day. It’s spring here in north Texas, and we have crazy and unpredictable weather. When I wake up in the morning, I must check the weather if I'm going to be prepared. If it’s raining outside, then I take an umbrella, else I wear sunglasses.

Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic · Photograph of the Penn State college campus in the rain

Asking questions like a computer

As humans, we often make decisions based on a complex set of conditions, including the circumstances, our own preferences, past experience and even how we feel. When we write a program, we need to represent our decisions in ways a computer will understand.

We know now that the computer evaluates some statement (also called an expression) that can only be TRUE or FALSE. There is no assessment of a condition that evaluates “Banana,” for example. The result will determine which block of code the program will evaluate next.

The types of statements that a computer can evaluate as either TRUE or FALSE is also limited by the fact that information is stored in the computer as binary. As a result, most TRUE and FALSE statements you will use in your programs are comparing two values in the computer’s memory.

A good way to check if an expression evaluates to a Boolean is to stick the word ‘is’ in front of it and ask it a question. If it sounds like a yes or no question, then you know it’s a Boolean expression. Here are the most common types of comparisons:

____ is equal to _____

____ is not equal to _____

____ is greater than ____

____ is less than _____

____ is greater than or equal to ____

____ is less than or equal to____

It can take a little practice to convert a question you might ask as a human into a binary statement evaluated by a computer. Here are some examples:

Human question:  Is it lunch time yet?
Computer question: Is it 12:00 p.m.?

Human question: Is she old enough to drive?
Computer question: Is her age equal to or greater than 16?

Human question: Should we see this movie?
Computer questions: Is the number of seats left in the theater equal to or greater than 12? Is the number of stars for the movie greater than two? Is the movie genre equal to comedy?

Want to give it a try?

You can do this! Write a program that answers our last question above: What movie should we see?

Photo credit: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

Here’s the scenario: Our team, including our mentors, are going to the movies. We know what movies are showing, but how do we decide which movie to see? We want to see a movie we think everyone will enjoy, and we want to make sure there are enough seats available. We can make this decision easier if we answer some questions about each movie:

• How many stars did the critics give it? If the movie is less than 3 stars, we don’t want to see it
• What genre is it? Let’s pretend our favorite genre is super-hero movies. If the movie is our favorite genre, we’ll go see it no matter what the ratings are.
• How many seats are available in the theater? If there aren’t enough seats for all of us, we don’t want to see it.

With a partner, create a program that help us answer these questions using Boolean expressions.

Get started:

1. Visit http://boldidea.pencilcode.net/edit/which-movie, and copy the code into your own PencilCode account. To do this you click on the down-arrow next to “Save”, and click “Copy and Save As”.
2. In the code you see an object, the movies object, and it holds all the movies that are showing this week. You will learn about objects more later. Under the object, you see a for loop with a write.movie block, which will display all of the movies in the movies object.
3. To refer to the information in the objects, you only need to type the name of the object, period, and then the part inside the object. For example: If I want the name of the movie I type in movie.name or if I want the stars I type in movie.stars.
4. Remember to use conditional statements and relational operators in order to get the output you want. First you might want to write out what type of movies you are listing first, for example superhero movies.
5. Within the loop, add conditional if-statements to only write out the movies that match our criteria. You might need to nest one if statement inside another. You can also combine Boolean expressions into one line using “and”.

CHALLENGE: Try adding your own movies to the list. In text mode you can copy-and-paste a movie on a new line and change the variables.

Making decisions based upon information is an important part of what makes computers seem intelligent! With some practice, you can also get used to writing conditions that your programs can evaluate and execute.