Jumpstart Philly

Jumpstart this June for a hands-on PD workshop introducing the new College Board AP Cybersecurity course, launching in 2026–27.

Part of the AP Career Kickstart initiative, this entry-level course prepares students to protect digital assets and explore tech careers. Educators will review the course framework (defense-in-depth, network security, data protection), see how it fits within CS pathways, and engage with adaptable lessons and practical activities for any classroom. Ideal for high school CS teachers, CTE educators, and instructional leaders.

Facilitators:
- Andy Tucker, Senior Director for AP Cybersecurity Growth College Board
- Rebecca Kravitz, Director, State & District Partnerships, College Board
- Kari Cobb, Educational Leadership and Strategic Development, Onslow County Schools, AP Cybersecurity Pilot Teacher
- Erik Wiessmann – CS Teacher, Academy at Palumbo - School District of Philadelphia

Date & Time:
Thursday, June 4, 2026 @ 6:00 - 8:00 pm ET
Delivered via Zoom

Register: https://lnkd.in/dKDu3Awz

Space is limited: Register by May 29, 2026. The first 30 School District of Philadelphia (SDP) teachers to register and attend will earn a $60 fellowship stipend.

In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, we want to recognize of the most well-known figures in the world of education, Sal Khan. Sal Khan is a Bengali-American educator and founder of Khan Academy.

After tutoring his cousins and family members, he created a digital platform to make education accessible for anyone around the world, eventually quitting his job to pursue his non-profit full time.

Read below to learn more.

In Honor of International Women's Day, we wanted to dedicate it Grace Hopper, an incredible woman who pioneered the development of modern computer technology.

From serving the Navy to becoming a Mathematics professor, she has achieved so many things in her life. Her legacy still continues to this day, including her being the inspiration of the creation of The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, a series of Conferences designed for women in STEM and Engineering.

Read below to learn more about her legacy.

We want to congratulate Dr. Debora Borges-Carrera, Ed. D. for being this year's Andrew N Farnese, Esq. Humanitarian Award Recipient!

Dr. Carrera is a member of the Jumpstart community, serving at the Jumpstart Advisory Board. She currently holds the position as the Chief Education Officer of The City of Philadelphia.

With over 27 years of dedicated experience in advancing computer science education, she has led countless initiatives to support equitable access for all.

Read Below to learn more about her.

Check out the article version on our news section: https://lnkd.in/emQwhY-J

In Honor of Chinese/Lunar New Year, we wanted to recognize one of the biggest Asian American names in the tech sphere, Eric Yuan.

Eric Yuan is the founder and CEO of Zoom Communications Inc, founded in the 2010s, now worth over $25 billion dollars. Yuan has shaped how video conferencing is used in today's digital age.

Are you a high school student in Philadelphia looking to test your tech skills? Check out these awesome opportunities, held at Drexel University College of Computing & Informatics.

💻 Philly Codefest (High School Edition) 💻

Philly Codefest is holding their second hackathon for high school students on February 28, 2026, completely free. This is a one-day event where you gain skills through workshops, mentorships, and earn awards for top projects. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned programmer, this is the perfect opportunity to expand your coding skills.

Click here to learn more: https://lnkd.in/e6H-v34k

💻 Digital Development Camp (Summer 2026) 💻

The Drexel University Digital Development Camp, VirtuaQuest, is a specialized four-week in-person summer program led by College of Computing & Informatics (CCI). It provides participants with the chance to engage deeply with technology and digital development topics, guided by expert faculty and student leaders. Participants gain hands-on experience in areas such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, programming, and game development while building technical skills and exploring future paths in computing.

Click Here to learn more: https://lnkd.in/eRUZf2uP

Last week, we recapped on the 2026 Computer Science Student Experience at Drexel University College of Computing & Informatics. This was a free event for High School students in Philadelphia who were interested in Technology, diving into Cybersecurity, Computer Science, and Robotics.

Additionally, we had many Drexel student volunteers who ran workshops, interacted with students about their experiences, and provided insight into how CS shaped their interests and career goals.

Some notable Drexel Student organizations that helped contribute to the CS Student Experience include Hack4Impact Drexel and Drexel Women in Computing Society (WiCS), who both led wonderful and engaging workshops.

Thank you to all of our partners, including CS4Philly, National Science Foundation, Drexel Development Camp, Philly Codefest, and IRise Phil for making this possible.

Are you interested in understanding the technicalities of using AI within the classroom? Consider looking at our article about how AI can be used to enhance both teaching and learning

To find our article, click here: https://sites.google.com/view/jumpstart-philly-cs4all/news/articles/ai-workshop?authuser=0

‼️Due to unforeseen circumstances, the date and time of the event has been changed‼️

Are you a high school student in Philadelphia interested in honing in your Computer Science skills for free?

We are very excited to share that the Student Computer Science Experience has been rescheduled for Saturday, January 24th from 10 am-4 pm at Drexel University College of Computing & Informatics (3675 Market St.).

Activity highlights:
- Capture the Flag (cybersecurity game of stealth, strategy, and teamwork)
- Giant Connect Four (game theory!)
- Crayon Commotion (use algorithms to create a giant mural)
- Robotics (discover human-computer interaction)

If you are interested, click here to apply: https://lnkd.in/eChi8ysE

Want to take your coding skills to the next level, or want your students to improve their programming with fun Christmas-themed challenges? Look no further than Advent of Code 2025.

Advent of Code is a free website that offers coding challenges through a fun Christmas-themed storyline. The project started in 2015, and has continued since. The site has over 100+ problems students can solve to test their problem solving skills.

These problems can be solved with any coding language, and are a perfect fun activity for educators to use in the classroom as a fun challenge. All experience is welcome!

If you are interested, click here to try it for yourself: https://adventofcode.com/