Philly CoderDojo NEWS & Updates & Posts
Read, Learn, Discover ⚬ October 26th ⚬ 4:15pm - 5:30pm @ James Lowell Elementary School 450 W. Nedro Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19120 5tribevending.com This interactive family night experience is designed for students in Kindergarten through 4th grade to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through the power of literacy, storytelling, and hands-on learning. After reading and learning about each trailblazer, students will bring their learning to life through interactive STEM stations inspired by their inventions, discoveries, tools, or areas of expertise. Students may have opportunities to build, design, experiment, problem-solve, code, measure, or investigate—giving them a chance to experience STEM concepts in fun and meaningful ways. Families are encouraged to participate alongside their children, creating opportunities to talk about interests, strengths, future careers, and the many ways STEM can be part of their everyday lives. REGISTER HERE
Cybersecurity 101: Foundations of Digital Safety ⚬ October 26th ⚬ 12:00pm - 2:00pm @ Episcopal Community Services 220, 60006 W. Girard Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19151 welovephilly.org
Join us for Cyber 101, an accessible and interactive workshop designed for beginners looking to take their first steps into the world of cybersecurity. In this session, participants will explore fundamental security concepts, learn essential digital hygiene practices, and understand how to protect themselves and their data online.
Whether you are curious about how technology works behind the scenes or looking to build a strong baseline of security awareness, this workshop provides a welcoming, hands-on introduction to the digital landscape. REGISTER HERE
Think It! Build It! Code It! ⚬ October 27th ⚬ 4:00pm - 5:30pm @ Roxborough Library 6245 Ridge Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19128 stevietheinventor.com During this interactive experience, students will explore the world of STEM through fun building challenges, screen-free coding activities, teamwork, and hands-on learning. Participants will have the opportunity to think like inventors as they design, build, test, and improve their creations while developing important skills in engineering, coding, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. The experience is designed to make STEM approachable, engaging, and memorable for children of different learning styles and experience levels. No previous coding or engineering experience is required—just imagination and a willingness to create. REGISTER HERE
Math Night @ Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy ⚬ October 29 ⚬ 4:00pm - 6:00pm @ Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy 2000 Catharine St Philadelphia, PA 19146 mariananderson.philasd.org Math is amazing! And what could be more fun than exploring math with friends and family? Students, families, educators, and community members will convene for an early evening of games, puzzles, creativity, and collaboration—inspired by mathematics. Teachers, volunteers, and students in our junior chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) leadership council will facilitate math-themed activities. REGISTER HERE
HallowSTEM: Spooky STEM Lab ⚬ October 31st ⚬ 10:00am-12:00pm @ STEM Prep Academy 604 East Girard Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19125 lestgostem.com Join STEM Prep for HallowSTEM, a spooky and exciting hands-on STEM experience designed for young scientists! During this interactive event, children will explore science, engineering, creativity, and problem-solving through four Halloween-inspired STEM activities. Participants will mix and experiment during our bubbling Witch’s Potion Lab, put their engineering skills to the test with a Pumpkin Engineering Challenge, design and build their own Spider Web structures, and finish the experience by creating spooky Halloween slime to take home. HallowSTEM combines seasonal fun with meaningful STEM learning in an engaging, age-appropriate environment. Come dressed in your favorite costume and get ready for a morning filled with spooky science, creative challenges, and hands-on STEM fun! REGISTER HERE
The PennDOT Innovations Challenge is a statewide competition that challenges teams of students in ninth through 12th grades to use their problem-solving, creative, and strategic-thinking abilities to solve real-world transportation challenges. Regional winners will be selected by PennDOT's Engineering Districts. Those winners will move on to a statewide competition where an overall winner will be selected. Submission Deadline Friday, January 29, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. PennDOT Innovations Challenge Submission Form
>See Full Gallery of 2025 Coolest Projects
The Coolest Projects online showcase was open to any young person up to age 18, anywhere in the world! Young creators across the globe can enter their digital technology projects to Coolest Projects to receive feedback, get fun swag and share their creations with the world!
ABBY, PCD's Coding Ninja, WON 2024 Coolest Projects - Scratch Category (1 OF 4)!!
We are ecstatic to inform everyone that our Philly CoderDojo coding ninja, Abby, won the Scratch category in the 2024 Coolest Projects competition. Technically, it was a four-way tie in the Scratch category that included more than 3,800 entries from 43 different countries. They shipped her a medal and like her parents WE ARE SO PROUD OF HER! They say "I want to thank you (and all the mentors) again for all of your encouragement and mentorship in helping Abby achieve this award." See the linked the video. Scratch announcements begin at 33:40. All projects are also now live in the 2026 Coolest Projects online showcase gallery.
We’ll see you at the next Dojo.!
Abby's Construction Raccoons-Bros Unity Game
Abby is a Superstar Philly CoderDojo coding ninja who has gone through all of Unity Level 1 & 2. She has created a 3D game using Unity called Construction Raccoon Bros. (Wait, who's the other guy). Click to Play now!
Play Now!
STORY: You play as the construction raccoon Bob. Bob needs to find 15 stars across 3 construction sites to win. Find all 15 stars to win!
HOW TO PLAY: Use the arrow keys to move and press space to jump. If you see a star, run into the star to collect it. Collect 5 stars in each level to go to the next level. There are 3 levels, after you beat them you can play the whole game again.
AFTERWORD: I wanted this game to be kinda a love letter to Mario 64 and Mario as a whole. When I started the game I was at the basement with Dry Dry Desert and Lethal Lava Land. Eventually I made it to the final level Bowser in the Sky but it was too hard so after about a month and a half I just lost motivation. I hope I'll beat it someday.
Also the game would've had a cat NPC named Carl, he would've been "Mr. Exposition," but I cut him for some weird reason.
I also have another game named Mount Bop, but you'll need to view it in the Turbowarp link in the description: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1104333583/
I'm also thinking of making a Touhou fangame... Maybe crossing it over with something? It's still a shmup though, I'm probably gonna turn all the characters into 2hus so it isn't awkward, nobody really wants to see a guy in a Touhou game.
Sincerely, ~Wosh
PGD STEM Experience ⚬ October 24th ⚬ 1:30pm - 3:30pm @ Philly's Got Dance 4305 Locust Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 Phillysgotdance.com The PGD STEM Experience brings science, technology, engineering and math to life through dance and movement. Young people will explore how STEM shows up in the music they hear, the movements their bodies make, choreography, timing, patterns and the technology behind performance. Through interactive movement and hands-on challenges, participants will get to create, experiment, problem-solve and move while discovering that STEM can show up in places they may not expect. No dance experience is needed, just come ready to move, think and have fun. REGISTER HERE
NCWIT Aspirations in Computing High School Award
This award honors 9th - 12th grade students who are active and interested in computing and technology, and encourages them to pursue their passions. Award recipients are selected based on their aptitude and aspirations in technology and computing, as demonstrated by their computing experience, computing-related activities, leadership experience, persistence, and future plans.
Deadline to apply is October 27, 2026.
Haunted House Tech Trivia ⚬ October 28th ⚬ 12:00pm - 2:00pm @ 1600 Woodland Road Abington, PA 19001 abington.psu.edu/ As part of Penn State Abington’s annual Tech Week, the student-led AI Club is hosting a Halloween-themed tech trivia event. Guests will rotate through interactive “haunted house” stations, each representing a different area of technology. Explore a Haunted Computer Lab, Zombie Robots, and an AI Apocalypse zone. Join us for a fun way to test your tech knowledge while learning about AI, cybersecurity, software, and robotics. Registration is required as space is limited. REGISTER HERE
Opportunity Mapping with GIS ⚬ October 30th ⚬ 9:30am to 10:30am @ U School 2000 N 7th Street Philadelphia, PA 19122 uschool.org This interactive showcase highlights students’ progress on their Senior Capstone projects as they explore STEM careers, identify resources, and develop a vision for life beyond high school. Using GIS and opportunity-mapping tools, students will examine how geography, community assets, education, career pathways, and other resources connect to their individual goals. Students will share works in progress, maps, research, and reflections that demonstrate both where they are in their Capstone journey and where they hope to go next. Rather than simply presenting finished products, the showcase creates an opportunity for students to receive feedback, make new connections, and discover resources that can strengthen their plans.
The Art of STEM ⚬ October 30th ⚬ 4:30pm to 6:00pm @ Providence Center 2557 N. 5th Street Philadelphia, PA 19133 providencephilly.org Join Providence Center for The Art of STEM, our STEM Equity Week gallery created by students in grades 1–8. Explore artwork that moves with magnets, glows with light, reveals patterns in personal data, and reimagines spaces for young people in Philadelphia. Each piece shares the question students asked, what they tried, and what they discovered along the way. Come celebrate their creativity, meet the young artists and problem solvers behind the work, and see how many ways STEM connects to our lives and community. REGISTER HERE
MPACT - Math and Computational Thinking Through 3D Making MPACT provides free, ready-to-use curriculum units for grades 4–7 where students design and build physical 3D projects—like modeling custom 3D-printed toys or building kites—to master abstract math and computer science concepts hands-on. Each unit includes step-by-step teacher guides, student booklets, and flexible project plans using simple craft supplies or tools like Tinkercad and 3D printers.
Voices in STEM
Nuha's project "Breaking Barriers in STEM for Underrepresented Communities", focuses on increasing representation of underrecognized minority groups in STEM fields, such as Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans, and women. As part of the project, she interviewed professionals across a variety of STEM fields who were willing to share their career journey, skills, education, and experiences that helped them reach their goals. These are now part of the Ecosystem's website as Voices in STEM The Gold Award provides Girl Scouts with an opportunity to turn their passions into action and create meaningful change in their communities. Drawing from her own experience navigating the challenges of finding guidance and support to pursue STEM, Nuha was inspired to create this project to help make those pathways more accessible to others. Congratulations, Nuha, on this meaningful accomplishment and on using your experience and passion to help inspire the next generation of STEM learners and professionals!
CONGRATS to our PCD Coding Ninja, Allendro is officially a member of the 15th cohort of the STEM Scholars program!
The STEM Scholars Program is a four-year college and career preparation program that recruits 20 freshmen students in the Philadelphia area, aiming to reach those from communities historically under recognized in STEM.
A message from CoderDojo International about the new chapter for Code Club and CoderDojo: Over the past ten years, Code Club and CoderDojo have enabled more than 2 million young people to take their first steps in learning how to create with code. It's a phenomenal achievement, but there is much more to do.
In the next ten years, the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s ambition is to expand the global network of free coding clubs to provide opportunities for over 10 million more young people to develop the skills, knowledge, and mindsets needed to thrive in a world shaped by digital technologies. To help achieve this, the Foundation is refreshing the Code Club brand and learning experience to make sure that it is accessible and relevant to as many young people as possible.
Philly CoderDojo won’t need to change anything about how we operate. We will continue to use the CoderDojo brand and call ourselves a Dojo. This change is about unifying efforts and making it easier for us to be supported so that we deliver amazing experiences for young people.
DUCK! (YES, in ALL CAPS)>Click to see Project Link>
See Abby's (3) Coolest Projects Entries; Descriptions and Instructions to play Unity and Scratch Games below:
1- Construction Raccoon Bros, 2- DokiDoki TimeRex, & 3- Mount Bop
1) Construction Raccoon Bros is a 3d platformer game (loosely) based on Super Mario 64. You play as a raccoon, and you have to collect 5 stars in each level to move to the next one. There are 3 levels in the game, and after beating World 1-3, the game loops back to World 1-1. (Made with Unity) View this project on YouTube
2) DokiDoki TimeRexどきどきTimeRex is a time travel trivia game where you answer questions and complete puzzle minigames to advance to the next round. When the game starts, a random scenario will start to kick off the plot. Also, the entire game's graphics fit within the tech limitations of PCs that could run Microsoft DOS. Instructions: Press up and down to change the volume and click the a, b c and d buttons to answer questions. That's pretty much it though. Enjoy! Manual coming soon (maybe)! View this project in Scratch
3) Mount Bop NOTE - This game only works in Turbowarp, but I'd like you to view it in Scratch first, so I know you visited my project: https://turbowarp.org/1104333583interpolate&clones=Infinity&limitless Mount Bop is a Cho Ren Sha 68k-style danmaku shoot-em-up game. But what makes Mount Bop special is its ties to Disney's beloved roller coaster, Space Mountain. Space Mountain turned 50 back in January, so think of this as an anniversary gift to Space Mountain and the fans. Instructions: VERY IMPORTANT! This game doesn't run right on Scratch, some of the patterns don't run properly, make the game lag or even cause the page to crash. It can only run properly on Turbowarp: https://turbowarp.org/1104333583?interpolate&clones=Infinity&limitless When you're in there, if you get a game over, if you say 'quit' in the menu screen, or you do anything else where you stop the project, double click the green flag, or stage 2 (probably) won't work right. Welcome to Mount Bop, the game that has both everything and literally nothing to do with Space Mountain! There's a manual you can read by going to my account, but if you don't want to read it, press X to shoot, Z to slow down, C to use your shield, V to fire a bomb and B to pause! Shoot enemies, collect items, try not to die and get as many points as you can! View this project in Scratch
Celebrating 15 Years of CoderDojo: From One Club to a Global Movement
Representatives from Dojos around the world took part in our global partners summit Raspberry Fields in July 2026
This year marks a major milestone for the CoderDojo community: 15 years of inspiring young people to learn, create, and explore technology in a fun, supportive environment. What began in Cork, Ireland, in 2011 has grown into a worldwide movement with more than 600 active CoderDojos and thousands of coding clubs helping young people develop digital skills, confidence, and creativity.
At Philly CoderDojo, we're proud to be part of that global community.
More Than Learning to Code
CoderDojo was founded on a simple but powerful idea: young people learn best when they have the freedom to experiment, create, collaborate, and have fun. Unlike traditional classroom settings, CoderDojos embrace non-formal learning, allowing youth to follow their interests, work at their own pace, and explore technology in ways that spark curiosity and creativity.
Whether a student is building their first game, creating a digital project, or learning the basics of programming, every step helps develop problem-solving, critical thinking, and digital literacy skills that can benefit them both in school and beyond.
A Place Where Everyone Belongs
One of the things that makes CoderDojo special is that no prior coding experience is required. Young people can join as complete beginners and receive guidance from volunteers and mentors who are passionate about technology and helping others learn.
At Philly CoderDojo, students are encouraged to ask questions, experiment, make mistakes, and learn from the process. Our volunteer mentors provide support during sessions and help participants troubleshoot challenges as they work on projects and build confidence in their abilities.
Connecting Learning to Real Career Pathways
Technology is an important part of nearly every industry today. That's why each new participant at Philly CoderDojo has the opportunity to meet mentors who share their own journeys into technology-enabled careers. Students learn firsthand how people working in fields such as software development, IT, cybersecurity, data analytics, engineering, project management, and other technology-related professions got started and where their skills have taken them.
These conversations help young people see that careers in technology are attainable and that there are many different paths to success.
Why Coding Still Matters
As technologies such as artificial intelligence continue to shape our world, the Raspberry Pi Foundation believes it remains critical for young people to understand how technology works and how they can use it to solve problems and create new possibilities. Coding helps students become active creators and informed users of technology, giving them the confidence to participate in shaping the future.
Looking Ahead
The Raspberry Pi Foundation's anniversary celebration is a reminder of the impact that community-based coding clubs can have on young people's lives. For 15 years, CoderDojo has empowered youth around the world to learn, collaborate, and discover what's possible through technology.
We're honored that Philly CoderDojo is part of this global movement and look forward to continuing to provide free coding opportunities for youth throughout our community.
Interested in joining us? Youth ages 7–17, parents, educators, and volunteers can learn more at phillycoderdojo.com.
Source: Raspberry Pi Foundation, "From one club to a global movement: Celebrating 15 years of CoderDojo!" (July 23, 2026). [raspberrypi.org]