"The Current", Kai Coders Monthly Newsletter

Issue No.1 - August 2025

We’ve been wanting to launch a newsletter for a while now, and—true to our growth mindset—we’re making it happen!

We're so excited to share a peek behind the scenes, some tech tips you can try at home, and ways to team up to bring more inclusive and inspiring computer science opportunities to kids.  Whether you're a parent, partner, or a student, thanks for being part of the journey!

If you'd prefer to read our newsletter as a pdf, please download the file below:

The Current, Issue 1.

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What We’ve Been Up To

Whew — what a summer! We’ve been cracking open computers, creating games, and building tech skills with heart.

We launched our first-ever girls-centered tech camp, Are You Ready for IT? We’re in Our Tech Era, and were thrilled to welcome 75% girls! The energy was creative, confident, and empowering. Meanwhile, the boys brought their A-game with fitness-inspired coding projects that would make any pop star proud. (Yes — coding can be cardio!)

Our Computer Guts & Robot Brains camp gave students a rare peek inside real machines, thanks to a generous donation from the Delaware Department of Technology & Information. Nothing like pulling out a processor to spark curiosity!

Our youngest coders joined us for Coding Carnival, our first camp for 1st–2nd graders. Using ScratchJr, they built duck pond games, digital skee-ball, and more. Their joy when their code worked? Pure gold.

Outside the classroom, we connected with families and educators across Delaware — from Wilmington Learning Collaborative events to Family Fun Day at the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science. Everywhere we went, we brought hands-on coding and our signature aloha.

And behind the scenes? We tuned into the Scratch Global Conference (virtually!) — where we soaked up creative inspiration like Scratch + embroidery and a full hour of live debugging. So many ideas are already flowing into our fall programming!

August Events

We’re hanging onto summer but also prepping for the start of the school year!

• August 11: we’ll be beach-bound with our Odyssey of the Mind state champs — celebrating a season of creative problem-solving, teamwork, and major brainpower. These kids made it all the way to the World Finals, and this celebration is well deserved.

• August 19: We’re gearing up to support families at the West End Neighborhood House for the HB Dupont Middle School Back-to-School Event — helping students start the year strong with school supplies and support.

• August 20: We’ll be joining Harlan Elementary’s Community Night — and we can't wait to meet even more families, share hands-on coding demos, and maybe give away a few more leis. 😉

• August 29: We’ll be co-hosting school closure camp at the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science themed “Coding the Wild”. Expect nature-themed projects, animal facts, and a whole lot of tech fun.  Visit our website for more info: https://www.kaicoders.com/summercamp

Big News!!

🌟 Delaware’s First-Ever Scratch Day

Our theme: Future Presidents, Future Planet — Powered by Aloha. 

 📅 President’s Day — Monday, February 16, 2026

We’re teaming up with the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science with a joyful celebration of kid-powered creativity, tech, and nature.

Expect coding stations inspired by the Earth, animated storytelling, musical pineapples (yep!), and students leading the way.  Mark your calendars — and stay tuned for sneak peeks! 

Try this at home

What Is an Algorithm? (And How to Make One with PB&J)

At Kai Coders, we love breaking down complex computer science concepts into fun, relatable experiences. Take the word algorithm. Sounds intimidating, right? Four syllables, and let’s be honest — what’s going on with that “th” and “m” all squished together at the end?! 😆

But here’s the thing: your kids are already using algorithms all the time — they just don’t call them that! Recipes, instructions, directions — those are all algorithms. It’s just a fancy word for “a step-by-step process to get something done.”

Want to try it at home?  Grab your ingredients for a PB&J sandwich:

         🍞 Bread 🥜 Peanut butter 🍇 Jelly 🔪 Butter knife 🥄 Spoon

Now ask your child to give you step-by-step directions on how to make the sandwich — like you’re a robot following their code. And here’s the important part: follow exactly what they say.

They say “Take the bread out”? Don’t assume anything — unless they told you how to open the bag, channel your inner beast and rip it open.  They say “Put the peanut butter on the bread”? Don’t you dare open that jar. Just smash it — lid on and everything — right onto the slice of bread.  😳 Boom! That’s a bug! 

This silly (and messy) challenge helps kids realize that computers don’t guess. They do exactly what you tell them — no more, no less. Teaching this early helps kids understand precision, logic, and the joy of debugging — skills they’ll use in coding and life.

Testimonial Spotlight

"Tried other coding classes but this is the absolute best. My grandson says, 'Mrs. Bledsoe helps kids in so many ways.' She encourages learners of all abilities and experiences. She has the insight to reach each child. When grandson asked if he could show the class something, she agreed immediately. He showed some of the new learners how to animate the character each had made. Every kid will soar in this positive environment with such a gifted teacher!"       ~ Kathy G

Let’s Team Up!

We love partnering with schools, and youth organizations to bring hands-on, heart-centered computer science to more kids—especially those underrepresented in tech.

📌 Want Kai Coders at your school this fall? Just reach out through our contact form.

Until next time… Keep thinking, creating, and coding — with Aloha.

💙 Team Kai Coders