In 2013, fueled by a passion for making computer science accessible to every student, my husband and I took a leap of faith and founded CodeVA. It wasn’t just about starting an organization; it was about igniting a revolution in Virginia’s education landscape. We had a vision of a future where every child, regardless of their background, would have the opportunity to learn and excel in computer science.
Chris building the walls of the Eureka Workshop in 2014 before summer camps started
The early days of CodeVA were a whirlwind of passion and perseverance. For the first three years, Chris and I didn’t draw a salary from the organization. Instead, we juggled a variety of part-time gigs – from adjunct teaching to curriculum writing – to keep our family afloat. All this while raising our two middle school-aged daughters. Balancing our commitment to CodeVA with family responsibilities was no small feat. There were late nights, kitchen table strategy sessions, and many moments of uncertainty. But we believed deeply in the mission, no matter how often our daughters roll their eyes at the mention of coding.
One of our early revelations was the importance of a two-pronged approach: supporting teachers through professional learning while also engaging students directly through the Eureka Workshop. This insight led to some of our most successful early initiatives. We forged amazing partnerships in the Richmond area, bringing together educators, industry leaders, and community organizations. These collaborations allowed us to create robust teacher training programs and exciting hands-on experiences for students. It was in these early years that we laid the groundwork for what would become a statewide movement, proving that with dedication and the right approach, we could indeed bring quality CS education to every corner of Virginia.
Looking back, it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come from those kitchen table planning sessions. Over the years, CodeVA has grown beyond our wildest dreams. We’ve had the privilege of impacting over 8,000 teachers, bringing computer science skills and confidence to educators across Virginia. Even more exciting? Our programs and curricula have reached more than half a million students! That’s half a million young minds lighting up with the possibilities of coding and computational thinking. We’ve partnered with tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon, bringing industry expertise into classrooms. And remember those late-night grant writing sessions? They paid off big time – we secured nearly $5 million in NSF funding to dive deep into CS education research. But you know what really makes me smile? It’s knowing that in schools across Virginia, kids who might never have had the chance are now coding, problem-solving, and imagining futures in tech. While Chris and I are no longer with CodeVA we are still dedicated to the mission and impact across the US.
Super Computer Science 