"The Current" Newsletter
- Deanna Bledsoe
- Sep 14
- 4 min read
Issue No. 2 - Sept 2025
At Kai Coders, we always work with kids to develop a growth mindset — to be curious, persistent, and willing to figure things out. This month, we had to take our own advice when we wrote our very first RFP (Request for Proposal).
For those unfamiliar, an RFP is a formal document where organizations ask providers (like us!) to submit detailed proposals for services. They’re usually long, dense, and full of legal language. We were lucky our first one was “only” 23 pages — and we still spent a weekend buried in it!
It wasn’t easy, but we came away with 6 lessons that apply not just to RFPs, but to coding and life:
Break big challenges into smaller steps. 4. Build in time for reflection
Follow the requirements (just like following code logic). 5. Done is better than perfect!
Label things clearly so people don’t have to “hunt.” 6. Most of all - stay resilient!
Sometimes, the hardest part isn’t the code or the words on the screen — it’s having the commitment, confidence, and courage to push through tough challenges. That’s the Code Mindset!
👉 Curious? Click here to read more about this experience on our blog.
What We’ve Been Up To
We’re thrilled to be back at North Star Elementary two days a week for after-school programming. Tuesdays are all about our 3rd–5th graders, and for the very first time, Thursdays belong to our brand-new 1st–2nd grade tech crew. Parents asked, and we made it happen — thank you!
This fall’s theme is “Fall Into Gravity” — where kids will make tornadoes in a bottle, explore sound waves (who can hit that Defying Gravity high note?!), and of course, dive into tons of creative coding projects.
We’re also looking forward to being back for our second year at Lewis Dual Language. “We Rise Wednesdays” is now a 26-week program, giving us even more time to spark curiosity with hands-on STEM. As always, the best part will be watching students make projects their own.
And before we turned the page to fall, we wrapped up a successful School-Day-Off camp at the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science. Fifteen campers, ages 5–10, spent the day “Coding the Wild” — bringing nature facts and animals to life through interactive Scratch projects.
September Events
Here’s where you’ll find us this month:
North Star After-School Programs
- Sept 9: 3rd–5th Grade “Fall Into
Gravity” kicks off
- Sept 11: 1st–2nd Grade Tech-Focused
STEM debuts
Scratch Professional Development Workshops
- Sept 12: Making Music in Scratch
(exploring the built-in music extension)
- Sept 26: Boring Backdrops Begone
(learning to animate scenes with code!)
Coach Spotlight ✨
Coach Gmerice Banks | Site Lead • Head Coach • All-Around Team Player
Coach Banks brings an incredible blend of experience and heart to Kai Coders. With 25+ years as a professional software developer and 12+ years working with elementary school students, she’s a true bridge between the tech world and the classroom.
Her superpower? Listening. It’s the key to problem-solving and to making people feel valued and heard — whether she’s understanding business requirements or tuning into students’ interests and needs.
Fun fact: Coach Banks is
a major cruiser — having sailed on over 20 cruises! 🚢
We’re lucky to have her leading with both skill and aloha. 💞
Try this at home
What’s an event in coding? An event is the trigger that makes things happen.
We experience events every day:
It snows. What’s the action? If it’s just a dusting, we still go to school (bundled up). If it snows a lot, school might be delayed or even canceled. Different events trigger different outcomes.
Clicking a mouse 🖱️
Tapping a touchscreen 📱
Saying “Hey Alexa” 🎤
Flipping a light switch 💡
Kid voice example: “When my dog barks, I run to the window to see who’s outside!” 🐶
Events are what make coding exciting! They turn programs from static instructions into interactive experiences.
Unplugged Activity: Coder Says
Our take on the classic game “Simon Says”. Try this game at home to see how events work in real life:
Pick a “coder” to give commands.
The coder sets up events like:
“When I clap twice, everyone hops.”
“When I say the word ‘banana,’ everyone shouts ‘code!’”
“When I count to three, everyone claps once.”
“When I touch my head, everyone freezes.”
“When I make a silly face, everyone says ‘debug!’”
Just like in coding, the fun happens when an event triggers an action!
Testimonial Spotlight
"Our experience with Kai Coders during Spring 2025 was absolutely phenomenal...Many students shared that Kai Coders was one of their favorite parts of We Rise Wednesdays..." ~ Lewis Dual Language Elementary School
Let’s Team Up!
We believe every child deserves a chance to fall in love with tech. Schools, libraries, nonprofits, and community partners — we’d love to collaborate with you to bring inclusive, hands-on computer science to more students across Delaware. Just reach out to us here.
Until next time… Keep thinking, creating, and coding — with Aloha. 💙 Team Kai Coders
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