Free chapters, camps, and hackathons.

Chapters meet weekly during the school year, camps run for a week each summer, and hackathons run throughout the year. High school volunteers teach every program.

A mentor pointing at code on a large screen while students follow along on laptops.
Students at a Steel City Codes chapter working on laptops at classroom tables while mentors help.

Chapters

Weekly sessions for elementary and middle school students at schools, libraries, and online, throughout the school year. Trained high school mentors teach our curriculum in Java or Python. No experience needed.

Who
Elementary and middle schoolers
When
Once a week, through the school year
Where
Schools, libraries, or online, depending on the region
How to join
Through your region's sign-up form, or by messaging the regional team
Campers and mentors working in small groups at tables in a bright school cafeteria.

Summer camps

Regional camps offer one week of coding for students entering grades 4-8, with high school mentors and a 4:1 student-to-mentor ratio.

Our national summer camp takes place online for one week during the summer. Dates and further details are not available yet. National summer camp information.

Regional campers
Students entering grades 4-8 (ages 9-14); check your region's requirements
Regional dates
One week in summer. Dates and hours vary by region.
Regional courses
Intro, intermediate, and project-based Python and Java, plus web development
How to join
Register for regional camps through your region when dates are posted. National camp registration details are not available yet.
A full auditorium of students gathered for a Steel City Codes event.

Hackathons

Themed coding competitions for grades 6-12. Build a project solo or in a team of up to four, with workshops and mentors to help, and compete for sponsored prizes.

Who
Grades 6-12
Format
Solo or teams of up to four. Events have run from a weekend to two weeks.
Judging
Theme, originality, technical complexity, usefulness, presentation
Prizes
$70,000 awarded to students so far

How to register a student.

Regional program registration is handled by each region. National summer camp registration details are not available yet; see the national camp information.

  1. Find your region

    Search by city, state, or ZIP code. Each region page lists its programs, its team, and how to sign up.

  2. Sign up through the region

    Some regions use a sign-up form. Others ask you to message the regional team with your student's grade and school.

  3. Show up

    There is nothing to pay. Online students join from their own computer.

Want to teach instead?

High schoolers can mentor at a chapter near them or start a new one.