Code Ninjas Teaches Kids to Code
When Prakash Subramaniam’s son, Kavin, was 10, he attended a robotics camp at a local high school. Kavin did well and enjoyed the experience so much that he returned to camp the following year for the advanced session. As Kavin’s interest in robotics grew, Subramaniam looked for other opportunities for his young son to develop his skills, but he came up empty-handed.
“I couldn’t find any resources locally, or in Oklahoma City, and I started going wider and wider,” he says. “I thought, ‘OK, this is a problem here because kids want to learn. This is the future.’ I started realizing that a lot of this type of higher-level STEM or robotics were offered in very large cities like Houston or San Francisco.”
Subramaniam had discovered a challenge in need of an entrepreneurial solution, so in May of 2019, he launched the Tulsa location of Code Ninjas, an Atlanta-based franchise that teaches coding to kids ages 5-14. Participants use real-world computer programming languages like Unity, C#, JavaScript and Microsoft MakeCode to build games, learning the fundamentals of coding and gaining valuable problem-solving skills.
Attending Code Ninjas
Code Ninjas, located at 10126 South Memorial Dr., is open after school hours and on Saturday. Subramaniam encourages kids to attend as consistently as possible, but as a parent, he understands that’s not always possible. In order to accommodate families and their busy schedules, sessions are purchased by the hour.
“For example, eight hours a month, or however many hours they want to buy,” he explains. “They can come two hours a day. They can come one hour, two different days, any different time. We want to give them as many opportunities as possible because kids get sick, or parents can’t bring them for the session. We just try to encourage them to keep it as consistent as possible because we don’t want the kids to lose either interest or the knowledge.”
To keep things fun, kids work their way through different levels corresponding to martial arts belts, with the younger students in the junior sessions starting with basic keyboarding skills and terms. As the kids progress into coding, they work at their own computer at their own pace in groups with kids of all levels. The program is structured to give the kids quick feedback and immediate results, keeping them engaged. Rather than “tests,” which often have a negative connotation, kids are given “challenges” and opportunities to “prove themselves” in order to advance to the next level, or belt.
Code Ninjas Instructors and Partnerships
According to Subramaniam, over 40% of the kids who attend Code Ninjas are female, as are many of the instructors. He often hires students from OSU and the University of Tulsa, where he mentors graduate students.
“I try to recruit students that aren’t just a heavyweight computer coder,” he says. “The key thing is how they’re willing to work with young kids. Do they have the patience? Do they have the skill set? How do they get the kids excited?”
In addition to Code Ninjas, Subramaniam owns a second business called Tulsa Academy of Coding and Technology (TACT). With TACT, Subramaniam has partnered with several Tulsa-area schools to help build and facilitate STEM curriculum.
“Future-proofing” Kids
Subramaniam believes teaching kids how to code is a way of “future-proofing” them in a world where technology is rapidly becoming integrated into daily life. He thinks it’s an important skill, regardless of eventual career choice.
“Computers are here to stay, and this is going to be the future,” he says. “We teach them how to use this to benefit them and make something positive out of it.”
For more information, visit codeninjas.com.
Julie Wenger Watson is a freelance writer who’s worked in all aspects of music promotion. She’s also Co-Director of “Live From Cain’s,” a public radio show pilot.
