“Everyone in this country should learn how to program a computer because it teaches you how to think,” said a famous tech leader. Learning to code is not just about computers; it’s about developing a new way of thinking and problem-solving.
Many successful people in technology started learning to code at a young age. For example, Bill, who created Microsoft, began coding when he was just 13. Jack, who founded Twitter, got his first computer when he was eight and learned coding in college. Ruchi, the first female engineer at Facebook, wrote her first program in her freshman year, which played Tic-tac-toe.
Others, like Drew, who created Dropbox, started with simple programs that asked questions like “What’s your favorite color?” Elena, who founded Clothia.com, began by making shapes appear on a screen. Gabe, from Valve, was amazed when he made a computer display “Hello World.”
Mark, the creator of Facebook, didn’t start with the goal of mastering computer science. He just wanted to make something fun for himself and his sisters. He learned by doing, looking up new things in books or online as needed. Coding is similar to learning an instrument or a sport; it might seem hard at first, but it becomes easier with practice.
Chris, an NBA All-Star who coded in college, believes coding can be learned despite being intimidating at first. Makinde, an early Facebook engineer, says coding is often about breaking down problems rather than creating complex algorithms.
Vanessa, who founded Girl Develop IT, emphasizes that you don’t need to be a genius to code; you just need determination. Basic math skills like addition and subtraction are often enough. Tony, the CEO of Zappos, suggests knowing your multiplication tables can be helpful.
Bronwen, a technical artist at Valve, compares coding to reading; you don’t need to be a genius to do it. Coding is important in many fields, from agriculture to entertainment, because computers are everywhere.
Will.I.Am, a musician now learning to code, points out that while we rely on technology, many of us don’t know how to code. He recalls being part of a tech group in school, which was a valuable learning experience. Today, companies seek talented engineers, but there aren’t enough trained people to fill these roles. To attract talent, companies offer appealing work environments with perks like great food and creative spaces.
Hadi, who created Code.org, highlights that coding is a powerful skill, whether you want to earn money or change the world. Programming is about helping people through technology. The ability to turn an idea into something that millions can use is incredible. We are the first generation to experience this, and programmers are like the wizards of the future.
Currently, many top jobs in America might go unfilled because only a few schools teach coding. Whether you dream of being a doctor or a rock star, consider asking about coding classes at your school or learning online at Code.org. Share this message and explore the opportunities coding can offer.
Imagine you’re a tech creator like Bill or Ruchi. Write a short story about how you started coding and what your first program did. Share your story with the class and discuss how coding can be a fun and creative journey.
Work in small groups to solve a series of coding puzzles. Each puzzle will require you to think like a programmer, breaking down problems into smaller parts. Discuss the strategies you used to solve each puzzle and how they relate to real-world coding.
Find someone in your community who codes, whether professionally or as a hobby. Prepare questions about their coding journey and what they enjoy about it. Present your findings to the class, highlighting the diverse paths people take to learn coding.
Using a beginner-friendly platform like Scratch or Code.org, create a simple program that performs a task, such as displaying your favorite quote or playing a short animation. Share your program with classmates and explain how you built it.
Research different careers that involve coding, from game development to healthcare technology. Create a presentation or poster that showcases one career, including the skills needed and the impact it has on the world. Share your findings with the class.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
—
“Everyone in this country should learn how to program a computer because it teaches you how to think.”
**Bill:** Created Microsoft
I was 13 when I first got access to a computer.
**Jack:** Created Twitter
My parents bought me a Macintosh in 1984 when I was eight years old. I learned to code in college.
**Ruchi:** First female engineer at Facebook
In my freshman year, first semester, I took Intro to Computer Science. I wrote a program that played Tic-tac-toe.
**Drew:** Created Dropbox
I think it was pretty humble beginnings. The first program I wrote asked things like, “What’s your favorite color?” or “How old are you?”
**Elena:** Created Clothia.com
I first learned how to make a green circle and a red square appear on the screen.
**Gabe:** Created Valve
The first time I actually had something come up and say “Hello World,” and I made a computer do that, it was just astonishing.
**Mark:** Created Facebook
Learning how to program didn’t start off as wanting to master all of Computer Science. It just started off because I wanted to create something fun for myself and my sisters. I wrote a little program and kept adding to it. When I needed to learn something new, I looked it up in a book or online. It’s really not unlike playing an instrument or a sport. It starts out intimidating, but you get the hang of it over time.
**Chris:** NBA All-Star, Coded in College
Coding is something that can be learned. I know it can be intimidating, but many things are intimidating.
**Makinde:** Early Facebook engineer
A lot of the coding that people do is actually fairly simple. It’s more about the process of breaking down problems than coming up with complicated algorithms.
**Vanessa:** Created Girl Develop IT
You don’t have to be a genius to know how to code. You need determination. Addition and subtraction are about it.
**Tony:** CEO @ Zappos
You should probably know your multiplication tables.
**Bronwen:** Technical artist at Valve
You don’t have to be a genius to code. Do you have to be a genius to read? Even if you want to become a race car driver, play baseball, or build a house, all of these things have been transformed by software. Computers are everywhere. Whether you want to work in agriculture, entertainment, or manufacturing, it’s all around us.
**Will.I.Am:** Created The Black Eyed Peas, Now taking coding classes
We all depend on technology to communicate and manage information, yet many of us don’t know how to read and write code. When I was in school, I was part of an after-school group called the Whiz Kids. People laughed at me, but I thought it was cool, and I learned a lot. Some of my friends have jobs! Our policy is to hire as many talented engineers as we can find. The limitation is that there aren’t enough trained individuals with these skills today. To attract the best talent, we try to make the office as appealing as possible, with great food, free meals, and spaces for relaxation and creativity.
**HADI:** Created Code.Org
Whether you’re trying to make a lot of money or just want to change the world, computer programming is an incredibly empowering skill to learn. If someone had told me that software is really about humanity and helping people through technology, it would have changed my outlook much earlier. The ability to come up with an idea and see it in action, reaching millions of people, is remarkable. We’re the first generation to have that experience. It’s amazing to think that you can start something in your college dorm room and build something that a billion people use daily. The programmers of tomorrow are the wizards of the future. Great coders are today’s rock stars.
1 million of the best jobs in America may go unfilled because only 1 in 4 schools teach students how to code. Whether you want to be a doctor or a rock star, ask about a coding class at your school or learn online at Code.org. Share this film and visit Code.org.
—
This version removes any informal language, personal anecdotes, and extraneous details while maintaining the core message about the importance of learning to code.
Coding – The process of writing instructions for a computer to perform specific tasks. – Example sentence: “In our computer class, we are learning coding to create our own video games.”
Computer – An electronic device that processes data and performs tasks according to a set of instructions. – Example sentence: “My computer helps me complete my homework and research projects efficiently.”
Learn – To gain knowledge or skills through study or experience, especially in the context of technology and computers. – Example sentence: “I want to learn how to build websites using HTML and CSS.”
Program – A set of instructions that a computer follows to perform a specific task. – Example sentence: “We wrote a program in Python to calculate the average of test scores.”
Technology – The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry and computing. – Example sentence: “Advancements in technology have made it easier to connect with people around the world.”
Skills – The ability to do something well, especially as a result of practice and knowledge in computing. – Example sentence: “Developing coding skills can open up many career opportunities in the tech industry.”
Problems – Challenges or issues that need to be solved, often using computational thinking and coding. – Example sentence: “We use algorithms to solve complex problems in computer science.”
Math – The study of numbers, quantities, and shapes, which is often used in programming and computer science. – Example sentence: “Understanding math is important for writing algorithms and solving coding challenges.”
Online – Connected to or available through the internet, often used for learning and accessing information. – Example sentence: “Many students take online courses to learn new programming languages.”
Create – To bring something into existence, such as developing a new software application or website. – Example sentence: “We used a coding platform to create our own interactive stories.”
