Meet Sila & Ahmad from our summer coding bootcamps
Published on 17/08/2022
84 students from our partner school join us for week-long summer bootcamps
Nothing beats a hot summer classroom but laughter, excitement, and a sense of achievement. All of that happens with fun summer coding in Beirut. Due to popular demand, our team replicated last summer’s bootcamps in the Bekaa at an under-resourced partner school in June and July 2022. The 3 week-long coding camps gathered a total of 84 students.
Inspiring the next generation of coders and teachers!
Meet Sila, an 11-year-old Palestinian student who attended one of our bootcamps. Sila only found out about coding and started learning it in the 2021-2022 school year with her CodeBrave teacher Inass. The bootcamp allowed her to continue learning with our Code It Create It Junior course. During the bootcamp, Sila used a micro:bit and objects found around the classroom to recreate fun gadgets and toys with her friends.
Sila has always found coding to be engaging. It also inspired her not just to create her own games, but to aspire for more…
“Because of the situation in Lebanon, our teachers couldn’t finish the curriculum during school hours. It was very hard for us! Sometimes, I would study all night to catch up so […] I’m very happy that I passed my end of year exams. But with coding class, it’s different. Coding is just fun! [… It] made me want to become a teacher!”
Mixing architecture, creativity, and tech
Ahmad, a 12 year-old student living in South Beirut, loves playing with legos and uses them to build mock buildings. He also loves painting but realises how hard it is to succeed as an artist.
“I want to combine my two passions, architecture and art, in my future career. I know that architecture requires a lot of knowledge of computer skills. I’m really glad for coding class this year. It is helping me now, while I’m still at school, to develop these skills,” confidently shared Ahmad.
This year was the first time Ahmad learned coding at school. Just like Sila, he enjoys the fun and entertaining aspect of it. “I’m never bored when I code,” he said
Coding made personal
There’s the immediate benefits you can expect: turning passive screen time into active time.
“Before, I used to just download games. Now, I know how they’re made!” Sila shared. “It’s very exciting because I’m making my own games using Scratch. I still like to play with dolls so I coded it as a game. I created the background visual, then added a doll character that can also make sounds. Now, I code to change my doll’s dresses and take care of her virtually.”
But there’s also all the soft and communication skills that come with learning to code. Despite sharing that she’s sometimes tired from helping her mother with house chores, Sila is a happy and enthusiastic girl. Inass, her teacher, noted how supportive of her classmates she’s been all year and how she’s helped them with their projects.
“Coding class taught me to collaborate with my classmates and play together. I learned to be patient and selfless when working with my friends,” Sila says.
Fun Summer Coding in Beirut
CodeBrave’s 3 summer bootcamps targeted different age groups and worked on building on the knowledge the students acquired during the school year. From using a micro:bit or a Makey Makey with household items, the camps aimed at engaging students in activities revolving around taking care of their physical and mental health.
Amidst the instability that CodeBrave Lebanon students face, we’re thankful to be able to reach these students through our supporters’ contributions and teach them:
- appropriate coping skills, reminding them of their role towards themselves, others, and the environment!
- ways to become active tech users instead of passive ones by giving them the knowledge and tools to build their own apps and games;
- more advanced tech subjects like Machine Learning which we can’t always cover during the school year;
- How fun learning can be while at the same time, help them prepare for the future.