Mentor Monday: Meet Sarah

Meet long-time Bold Idea mentor Sarah Sahibzada, a software consultant at Pariveda Solutions. For the past two years, Sarah has served as a mentor at our program site in east Dallas, helping students ages 8 - 18 build confidence in computer science. She is also a strong advocate for Bold Idea within her company, supporting volunteer recruitment and fundraising. We are lucky she’s on our team!

Meet Sarah…

What is something many people don't know about you?
My mom is my hero! She immigrated here from Peru, and she’s lived her whole life with the philosophy of giving back to her new home. She’s been a social worker, a special education teacher, and an assistant principal; she got her bachelors’ and masters’ degrees while my brother and I were growing up. She’s always told me to lead by example, in both words and actions – regardless of what others might have to say, she holds her head high and continues to do the right thing.

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
It all started with Neopets! My nine-year-old self struggled through the process of “why doesn’t this work? Oh, I typed ‘tr’ when I meant ‘td’. ” long before I knew it would be useful for anything beyond making an obnoxiously bright pink and glitter-text-heavy page for my Neopet.

I am so thankful for this experience - long before technology was something I studied or how I made my living, it was just fun.

What did you study in college?
In undergrad, I double-majored in Mathematics and Computer Science at Texas A&M University.

In the fall, I will start graduate school (part-time/distance) studying Operations Management at The University of Arkansas.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the product architecture and requirements for a construction progress-tracking mobile application for Oncor Electric Delivery, which is cool since they’re on my utility bill. In the past, I did full-stack web development for predecessor/foundation for this product.

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
I’ve gained a deeper understanding of what it means to be a mentor. I got to talk to my company’s CEO, Bruce Ballengee, who was open about his successes and mistakes made as a mentor: in his words, the worst mistake you can make as a mentor is to make it about you rather than the other person. Throughout my time at Bold Idea, I’ve worked at transforming my mentorship from “teach people and help them to avoid making the same mistakes you’ve made” to “understand the needs and goals of each person and help them get there”.

My most memorable moment: in the Creative Computing class, when one team had a few disagreements about the direction they wanted to take their final project in, we walked through conflict resolution strategies. I worked with them and watched these two students come together and combine their ideas to create an awesome end product. It’s these skills - team building, collaboration, and compromise, that will help them become confident leaders in their fields later on, whether or not they decide to pursue technology.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
You aren’t going to get it right the first time, or maybe even the tenth time, and that’s the whole point! It’s improvements to your process that result in the best possible end product, and you can only make those improvements if you keep at it until you figure it out.

What is it about Bold Idea's mission that really connects with you?
The idea of developing and empowering young minds. Everyone remembers what it was like to be a kid and have some people talk down to you and not take you seriously - I love that Bold Idea is about doing the opposite. I love that this organization is all about challenging the kids to do more by first mentoring them and showing them that you believe in them, then giving them the tools and guidance to learn for themselves. It’s that feeling of “I know that I can do this, and I have mentors who believe in me” that Bold Idea fosters, and that kind of confidence helps kids in every aspect of their life.

Mentor Monday: Meet Alex

Alex Polednik, a UT Dallas sophomore, has volunteered for the past year, mentoring students from 3rd to 9th grades.

Meet Alex…

What is something many people don't know about you?
Although technology has become a huge part of who I am today, growing up in Colorado has certainly had the biggest impact on how I like to spend my free time. I absolutely love being outdoors whenever possible to hike, camp, or fish without the distractions of a cell phone or computer.

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
Ever since I can remember, I have always been passionate about technology. For my entire life, my dad has worked as a computer engineer and would occasionally bring me in to work as a kid to show me what he was working on at the time. These experiences helped plant the seeds for my love of programming and hardware. By the time I got into high school, I was extremely interested in smartphones, and it was this passion that led me to begin programming in an attempt to create a game for my phone. More recently though, I keep myself up to date on new technologies that come out each year and have directed my interests toward the wearables industry.

What do you study in college?
I am currently a Sophomore at the University of Texas at Dallas studying Computer Engineering.

What are you working on now?
While I am not currently working on a project, I interned for Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Orchards this past summer as a Software Engineer. During this internship, I developed multiple applications to improve the efficiency of the orchard managers and harvesters including a personalized mass-messaging system in addition to an application for harvesters to digitally submit orchard information. The data gathered from this application is now being used to more effectively analyze the overall health and production of the orchards through machine learning algorithms.

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
Through my work with the Bold Idea organization, I have learned how to better express complex ideas to students with no background in computer science. While one explanation might make the most sense to me, I often have to come up with two to three different explanations that hopefully relate to something the students have learned or experienced in the past that they can apply to a computer science problem. It has challenged me to think outside the box and better understand some concepts for myself.

My most memorable moment as a mentor occurred during my first semester with the organization. I was working with a pair of students in the Creative Computing group to come up with a final project idea. I had each of them write on the white board what they wanted the program to include, and then we worked to combine the ideas together. In the end, their faces lit up with joy when they decided on Unicorn Taco Soccer. I love seeing the creativity and excitement when the students get to see their idea go from concept to working project!

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
The one thing I would tell my younger self about coding is to never copy and paste code that I didn’t understand. My first programming experience was in my freshman year of high school when I wanted to create my own android game. Instead of truly understanding the code, I copied and pasted tutorials, which led me to become frustrated and give up when I didn’t know how to translate that code into my own application. It wasn’t until over a year later that I got back into programming and began to take the time to understand what the code meant.

What is it about Bold Idea's mission that really connects with you?
I firmly believe that all students should be introduced to computer science and given the chance to succeed. Through the Bold Idea program, I love seeing the students learn a new skill while having fun by expressing their own creativity with their peers. This aspect of the organization gets the students excited about programming and will hopefully lead many to pursue computer science as their career or even just a hobby.

Meet Bold Idea Mentor Brennan

Brennan Saul is a software developer at Pariveda Solutions. A Star Wars geek and computer science grad, Brennan mentors a team of 5th to 7th grade students at Rosemont, a Dallas ISD Internal Language Preparatory School in Oak Cliff.

Meet Brennan…

What is something many people don’t know about you?
Growing up I used to make stick-figure videos with a program “Pivot Animator”. They weren’t very good but it was fun to make my own movies!

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
My favorite movie growing up was Star Wars and I was fascinated with all of the futuristic technology in it like lightsabers, droids, and starships! In high school I took my first computer science class and even though writing the programs was really hard it felt so rewarding when I finally solved a tough problem! That sense of accomplishment is what made me want to major in computer science!

What did you study in college?
I majored in Computer Science and minored in Entrepreneurship at Baylor University!

What are you working on now?
I’m am working as a Software Developer for Pariveda Solutions. On my current project I am a full stack developer working with Javascript frameworks and cloud technology services!

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
I am mentoring at Rosemont where the students are learning to write programs that interact with the video game Minecraft! My favorite moment was when two students finished writing their first python script. They struggled to write the code and fix all the errors but when the program finally executed successfully and their character teleported to another location the students were so excited and couldn’t wait for the next “mission”!

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
Don’t be intimidated by how complicated something seems! The fastest way to learn something is by doing it. Think of an idea for a small project and pursue it!

What is it about Bold Idea’s mission that really connects with you?
I believe that one of the biggest ways to make a difference in someones life is to give them the tools to empower themselves and encourage them! Through Bold Idea I get to do that while teaching something that I’m passionate about! Bold Idea seeks to teach students to think critically and communicate effectively these are two skills that are important for any occupation even if it isn’t technology oriented.

Brennan (right) with Bold Idea mentors Kevin and Nicki at Rosemont’s STEM Night, 2018

Meet Bold Idea Mentor Jared

Jared Hensley is a full-stack Javascript developer at Connexions Loyalty. Those skills came in handy this fall when he volunteered as a mentor in Bold Idea’s Creative Computing program. Many of the older elementary elementary students he worked with were experienced coders and took up the challenge of creating mobile apps using Javascript.

Though it wasn’t just his coding skills that made an impact on students. According to Stella Lin, site coordinator at our Bottle Rocket program site: ”Even more important than Jared's Javascript skills is his patience and calm demeanor to bring out the best in the kids with his questions and guidance.”

Meet Jared…

What is something many people don't know about you?
I am a big science nerd and really enjoy studying biology/biochemistry in my free time. I hope to make a move from web programming to something biomedical at some point in the future.

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
In middle school I really enjoyed making websites using online platforms such as Geocities, Tripod etc. (this was back in the late 90s!). In high school I took a turbo pascal class just because and ended up creating a book report for my 10th grade English class that was handed in via a 3.5 floppy disk!

What did you study in college?
I studied molecular biology and business. I did not go to school for computer science, although my science curriculum had overlap with a traditional CS degree path (calculus, physics etc.)

What are you working on now?
I am currently working as a Javascript developer and plan to transition away from the wild west of web development at some point in the future. As previously mentioned, the biotech sector intrigues me greatly.

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
I had such a blast mentoring the creative computing group @ Bottle Rocket. ALL of the kids were amazing and were extremely well behaved. I thoroughly enjoyed my Saturday mornings and would come away smiling after getting to hang with them for a short while. I realized that kids are a lot smarter than I remembered :)

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
It's not magic! Most of us are just guessing.

What is it about Bold Idea's mission that really connects with you?
Exposing children to technology is crucial for their development. The world will continue to evolve and become more integrated with technology. The advancements from the 90s to 2000s to present day is nothing short of mind-blowing in my opinion. Another 20 to 30 years of development will likely surprise even the kids of today.

How we spent our summer

Coding projects designed, tested and trained. We’re ready for students!

Long before students start their first day of coding in September, the Bold Idea team will have spent countless hours and months in preparation. 

Starting in June, our staff and volunteers gathered to design new coding projects for students. This semester 6th - 12th grade teams can look forward to coding in Minecraft, while learning Python - a popular and beginner-friendly programming language. Most of us are big Minecraft fans as well, and it’s something students have been talking about for a while - so, we knew it would be a huge hit!

A group of our mentors and program designers during one of our Saturday hackathons.

Like our students, we are creators at heart. We love to explore what made us excited about coding when we were young and designing projects that engage young coders. And as software engineers ourselves, we know that a supportive mentor and hands-on experience can have a huge impact on building confidence in computer science. 

Mentor kickoff
Thirty six volunteers attended Mentor Kickoff recently and got a first preview of the new Minecraft + Python course. Working in teams of two, they took on ‘Level-Up challenges’ in Minecraft, like Escape the Pit and Teleportation Pad.

Mentors supporting 3rd-5th grade coders explored MIT Scratch and, new for this semester - a challenging project designed to help intermediate coders address a community problem by creating a mobile app solution. 

In total, 50 mentors will engage with students during Bold Idea’s weekly computer science sessions at 6 program sites this fall. 
 

Mentor Monday: Meet Andrés

Andrés Ramirez

Bold Idea Mentor

What do most people not know about you?

Regardless of my career path of software engineering, I like to be outdoors most of the time – running, cycling, rock climbing, or even social dancing. I started with running – I did that all the way through high school and college, and still do. During college I started accruing some of those other hobbies.

How did you get interested in computer science?

I was a math major and I ended up taking an introductory course in Python for a credit. I ended up liking it quite a bit, and I was able to transfer some of those math credits for a computer science degree. It all started with that intro to Python course.

What caught your attention and convinced you to swap paths?

It was mainly all the things that I was able to do, like building a cool interface for the user to interact with, put information into and request stuff from the program with.

What project are you currently working on?

I’m actually in the middle of converting a graduate school thesis project dealing with hyperspectral imaging into open source code. It will basically be a toolkit for dealing with super large images. Hyperspectral imaging is just a fancy word for images that have more than just the red, green, and blue channels. These tend to be large images; they can be from one GB up to 500 GB in size. This code could be useful for remote sensing with airplanes or drones.

What have you gained from being a mentor with Bold Idea?

I’ve been working with the third to fifth grade students, and I’ve learned a lot of patience. Sometimes they get impatient, or they just get tired of working for an hour straight, so I try to understand them and think of new ways to go over concepts they can’t understand.

Also, I’ve learned what my level of mastery is on some topics. It becomes apparent if you don’t know a topic when you can’t explain it to a younger kid. So, I’ll go back home, hit the books a little bit and try to think of a different manner to explain it to them.

What is something you enjoy about volunteering here?

I like the “aha” moments they have when they’re struggling to debug something, and then I don’t give them the answer fully. They just use all the ideas and knowledge that I gave them before, and then they reach it and say, “Oh, this is why!” and they get all happy and continue working.

What is it about the mission here that connects with you?

It’s been good to give my time and spread computer science out to anybody that wants to learn it. It’s the same idea of why I’m making an open source program – I’m making the knowledge freely available. I’m just trying to spread knowledge to people, basically. It doesn’t have to be at a cost. I’m not saying don’t go to school, but even if you do go to school and want a career change, there’s a lot of freely available resources that should be doable.

Why Learn Computer Science

Earlier this month, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg testified before the U.S. Senate. And while the hearing encouraged a necessary national conversation about data privacy, I can’t help wondering if many of the questions he received from Senate committee members reflected a poor understanding of how the technologies that we use everyday, like the Internet and social apps, actually work. 

Everyone from our 3rd grade students to my 83-year old grandmother is dependent on computers. Yet most people fail to understand what goes on inside that computer. If you have no clue how the most important things you interact with everyday work, you can start to tune out of the world. These technologies might appear too complex to comprehend - like magic. (It’s not). It also kills curiosity. 

We learn how electricity works, why the sky is blue and how airplanes fly. It is critical that we also demystify computer technologies for our students, regardless if they grow up to become computer programmers. Every student deserves the opportunity to learn about algorithms, how to create an app and how the Internet works.

Mentor Monday: Meet Jonathan

Jonathan Campos is a senior mobile architect at Bottle Rocket Studios. Each week he mentors the Jr. High students in our ideaSpark program.

Meet Jonathan...

What is something many people don’t know about you?
I feel like my home life is very different from my work life surrounded by computers. At home I am with my pets, working on the yard, trying to plant and grow. Very different than coding.

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
I started with 3D art a long long time back. Then realized with coding I could go further and make things that were useful. As time went on the joy of creation just kept pushing me to continue going further.

What did you study in college?
My undergrad was Arts & Technology, then in my Masters I shifted to Human Communication. It was fun and different to learn so much about how we as humans communicate, various cultures, and other specialties. 

What are you working on now?
Right now I am spending time learning more and more about machine learning while working with Bottle Rocket on new innovative ideas for our clients.

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
I remember how fun it is to see something moving on the screen for the first time. For me it was white text on a black monitor. For them it is 3D shapes and games. I guess you could say that I see them as spoiled.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
Don’t ever stop. The long hours of learning and losing sleep are worth it.

What is it about Bold Idea’s mission that really connects with you?
I really love teaching and sharing the rewarding and amazing experience that coding can provide to anyone. There really are few things as exciting as seeing something new working for the first time. Years later it is a daily thrill that I want to share with others.

Mentor Monday: Meet Julia

Julia is a high school student at the TAG Magnet School for the Talented and Gifted in Dallas ISD. Every Thursday, she volunteers as a Bold Idea mentor at the Wesley-Rankin Community Center. With a 5 on the AP Computer Science Principles exam under her belt, Julia can both empathize with the west Dallas students who are just learning programming concepts, while knowing where their interest can take them when they stick with it. Meet Julia...

What is something many people don't know about you?
Although I'm mostly involved in STEM, I'm a huge music nerd! I play multiple instruments, including clarinet, bassoon, and guitar, and I usually play in a jazz band. I'm currently writing the score for a school play.

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
I grew to love programming after taking my first computer science class at school. Programming is not only vital in today's world, but is also beautifully structured in logic, which is what made me fall in love with it.

What do you plan to study in college?
I hope to study Computer Science and Pure Mathematics.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on learning CSS and Java.

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
I have learned to become a stronger, more confident leader. Without confidence, those who you are leading will not be inclined to learn from you. I want these kids to know that I am there to teach them and help them out, which will not be conveyed if my body language suggests the opposite. I have also learned a lot about my students and realized that some learn differently than others, and how to work with them so that they gain the most they can from their time with the Bold Idea team.

I can't choose just one memorable moment from this mentorship opportunity, because every single time I come to the community center I am impressed continually by these young minds. Their understanding of the code is tested and many of them work hard to understand.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
This is definitely cliche, but no question is a "dumb" question! I was held back from learning coding by my own hesitations. Seize the day, waste no time in your journey of discovery. 

What is it about Bold Idea's mission that really connects with you?
I love that Bold Idea offers an opportunity for younger people to discover programming with the help of people who have gone through learning it already. It offers a space for kids to ask questions about programming; they aren't isolated, they have a space where they can flourish, where confusion will not act as a barrier, but as a conduit for learning.

Every Coder Has a Story: Meet MaKayla and Ascension

Bold Idea students Ascension (left) and MaKayla (right) are collaborating on a 3D game, which they're coding in Javascript with support from their mentor, Ben.

For 16 year-old MaKayla, computer science got really interesting once she realized it was about solving problems.
 
As a coder, she most enjoys fixing bugs in her program – and there can be lots of bugs, she points out. There is a joy in locating the one solution. “For me, it has to logically make sense – like in math when there’s a sign error. I can locate it, then go back and change it.”
 
The appeal of problem solving would have shocked even her two years ago. Coding seemed cool, but also a lot of work and trouble to perfect. “I saw it as lots of back and forth between typing and testing, fixing and more. Maybe not worth my time,” MaKayla adds.
 
After creating numerous projects, like a mobile app that promotes driving safety, problem solving has become the most worthwhile aspect of programming. It’s something new about herself that she discovered after joining Bold Idea.
 
MaKayla and her coding partner Ascension are Bold Idea’s oldest students – high schoolers who have been participating in Bold Idea programs for nearly two years. Every Saturday morning, they meet with their mentor Ben at Union, a coffee shop near SMU. The two are working together on a 3D game using the programming language Javascript.
 
During each weekly session the girls will alternate pair programming roles – the driver who types the code and the navigator who directs the coding. MaKayla and Ascension have found this process highly valuable for spotting errors while they are coding. A mistake is quickly caught by the second pair of eyes. “You get to talk through it as you’re doing it and help each other, which is what I like,” said MaKayla.
 
Other times it’s a miscommunication that will lead to the bug. The girls recently caught a spelling error. ‘Sin’ (the math term) was what Ascension said but MaKayla heard ‘sign’. The group gave a collective groan and chuckle, before declaring, “That’s fixed. What’s next?”
 
Ascension has also noticed her perception of computer science evolve. “When I first started Bold Idea, it was just going to coding on Saturday and coming back on the next Saturday,” she said. “But now, I’m more interested in it. I’m wanting to make an app or do more outside of Saturday.”
 
Her list of potential coding projects continues to grow each day. Among them are a mobile app horror game based on the recent movie It and a lifestyle app that rewards users with gift cards or monetary payment for reading books.
 
MaKayla agrees that what you’re creating can offer its own driving motivation. “Before, I thought of it as maybe just making games. But then I realized, especially last year when we made an app, that you can use what you learned to actually make a difference and build something that could possibly help other people, which is cool.”
 
Ascension is still considering which projects are most doable right now, but knows she’s closer to creating her ideas with help from her partner and mentor.
 
She remembers teachers in the past have tried introducing coding in the classroom, but often failed to spark an interest. “At my school, I didn’t like it. The only thing my teacher did was tell us to get on the website, sign in and work on it. Then, he would give us a grade on it. But he never really taught us about it or took the time. Here, I feel like it’s more hands on with people to show us how to do it, and it’s a different experience than at school.”
 
“It’s definitely different,” MaKayla agrees. “I feel like teachers traditionally talk at you rather than work with you. So it’s nice having a mentor who can do it with us, and we can discuss the issues together and do it at the same time.”
 
The girls point out that ‘mentor’ is the right way to describe the volunteer who helps through their coding projects.
 
The future is bright for both girls, who are now motivated to fix bugs and create the next great app that helps others. MaKayla is already planning a career in engineering, though she’s not sure what field of engineering yet.
 
Whatever MaKayla and Ascension pursue, one things for certain: Bold Idea will have their back.
 

Mentor Monday: Meet Nhat

Nhat Dao mentors students at the Wesley-Rankin Community Center. He enjoys seeing the 3rd-5th graders' excitement each week and enjoys the challenge of explaining computer science concepts in a fun way.

Meet Nhat...

What is something many people don't know about you?
I have resided in 3 states including Arizona, Idaho and Texas over the past 6 years.

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
I majored in Physics when I was a college freshman. After taking an intro class for programming using Python, I was hooked. I changed my major to Computer Science after realizing that programming can help me make an impact on everything almost immediately.

What did you study in college?
I studied Computer Science and Mathematics in college.

What are you working on now?
I’m working at Flywheel Building Intelligence Inc where I help 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?
Learning how to explain to kids about programming concepts has been the most rewarding part of mentoring. Kids are the most challenging audiences for any kind of talks but I was glad that they got excited to program after the first few sections. My most memorable moment had to be this one time when some of the kids figured out how to add sounds on scratch. They managed to have a person sprite rap!

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
I wish I could tell my younger self to go to as many hackathons as possible. Once you got into the industry, there are less time and opportunities.

What is it about Bold Idea's mission that really connects with you?
Teaching kids at young age how to program does not neccessarily mean that we convince them to pursue a career in Computer Science but much more than that. As Steve Jobs once said “Everybody in this country should learn to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think”, we want to help kids develop from coding to computational thinking.

Mentor Monday: Meet Sreyas

A Senior Quality Assurance Engineer at T-Mobile, Sreyas mentors our youngest students each week at The MIX. 

Meet Sreyas...

What is something many people don't know about you?
I am a good cook.

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
Since my childhood I was always interested in computer and and computer games. I always wondered how computers worked and how to  create my own game. 

What did you study in college?
I have a diploma in Information Technology, BSC in Computer Science and M.S in Information Systems Management.

What are you working on now?
I am a Sr. Quality Assurance Engineer at T-Mobile. I use automation tools like Selenium Webdriver and Java to test web applications. 

What have you gained from being a mentor? 
I have learned how to mentor kids and its easy to solve a problem when you think like a kid.

What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
Initially it was difficult for the kids to understand the basic concepts about programming so I had to explain to them by the way they understand like explaining them with examples that they understand i.e “a function is like a cookie jar” which was a new experience for me.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
I wish I could had learned programming at a younger age. 

What is it about Bold Idea's mission that really connects with you?
The opportunity to share my knowledge to young minds and help them learn programming.

Mentor Monday: Meet Daniel

Daniel Lozano mentors Bold Idea students at Rosemont International Language School in Dallas. In his professional life, he works at software consultancy Pariveda Solutions.

Now, get to know him in his own words. Meet Daniel...

What is something many people don't know about you?
I know how to knit. When I was in college, I needed a beanie because it would get colder in Waco, TX than I was used to in Brownsville, TX. I never liked any of the beanie options that were available to me and for some reason, it seemed easier to learn how to knit and make one myself than to buy one. If you know about yarncraft, then you know that it’s easier to crochet a beanie than it is to knit one, but it’s too late for me now. One year to save money, I gifted people knitted hats for Christmas. It was more personal too because you must spend hours making each individual hat. I had more time back then.

How did you become interested in technology and programming?
These are two separate questions for me. 

I first began to get interested in technology through video games. I would play games on my dad’s Windows 95 computer. When I was bored with games, I would pretty much go through every folder in the computer. Not sure why. The point is, I became very familiar with computers. When I was in 7th grade, I got my very own computer for Christmas. I like to think it’s because my parents thought that I would learn more if I had my own computer, but the reality probably is that they got it so that I wouldn’t be messing up my dad’s computer. If I had to sum up my experiences with technology, it is the following: I broke things until I learned why things broke. (Notice the word “fix” is not in that sentence)

In college, many students struggle with finding what to do after college. I think it’s important to determine what you DON’T want to do first. For me, it was programming. I did NOT want to program for work. Life, of course, had other plans for me and I started working in consulting where 100% of my job was programming. Although I did struggle at first, I eventually started to do better. And believe it or not I LIKED IT. I liked it A LOT! The more I coded, the more I learned, and the more I learned, the better I did. The better I did, the more I coded. It’s an ideal feedback loop for me.

What did you study in college?
I had planned for a good while to study music in college. However, that didn’t quite work out, so I studied electrical engineering for 2 years. As it turns out, that didn’t work out either, so I majored in Management Information Systems. I completed my degree program at Baylor University in 2012. 

What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m at a client that specializes in making vehicle ignition interlock devices. We are working on a customer portal that allows users to make and schedule payments as well as sign up and check their status instead of having to make a call or physically go down to the store. We leverage full-stack .NET with knockout.js on the web front-end. I work primarily on the main API, and there are mobile and web applications that utilize the API.

What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
We have one student who seems to be distracted during our sessions. The most memorable moment for me was when we asked him specific, well-thought out questions to make him consider many facets of a problem at the same time. He went quickly from being distracted in general to intensely focused and productive. This taught me that the students certainly have the capacity to think critically, even if they appear not to be interested. The difference is motivation. Everyone is motivated by different things, and learning what motivates someone is a powerful tool for a mentor.

Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
Yes, a ton. Write this down. First, remember that book C++ for dummies that you bought in middle school but then stopped reading because it was too hard? Don’t give up on that, you dummy. You’ll take a C++ course in college, and you’re going to feel SUPER behind compared to your peers. Secondly, textbooks are a scam; buy international versions. Next, please, oh please, do NOT use absolute positioning in HTML. I know your .NET teacher used it, but it’s because she was trying to explain .NET, not HTML. Avoid it like the plague. Lastly, in the Fall of 2011, you will meet a homeless man who walks into the motel you’re working at. He asks for the time and a newspaper. He will do this consistently for a few months and then suddenly stop. Talk to him and find out what his story is before that happens. It turns out you will think about this A LOT as an adult. 

What is it about Bold Idea's mission that really connects with you?
I was a very precocious kid growing up. Technology was very interesting to me, however, I had to learn by trial and error because I had no real guide that could show me how, where and what to learn. As a result, my learning was significantly stunted and by the time I started learning how to code, I was VERY behind compared to the rest of my peers. I always felt like I had to catch up. I wanted to foster an opportunity for students to start learning code earlier so that they can feel confident in their abilities by the time code is (hopefully) part of their curriculum in college. Even if they do not pursue a degree in technology, learning code will help with structured logical thinking as well as promoting creativity. 

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!