West Sound CoderDojo

06/09/2026

We’ve been quietly busy behind the scenes, and the new West Sound CoderDojo website is officially live!

While we’ve been introducing families to tech, computational thinking, and AI for years, we wanted our digital front door to reflect the energy, depth, and creativity of what actually happens in the room. A space that truly reflects the creative energy, depth, and community spirit of West Sound CoderDojo

We are about 98% of the way there and too excited to keep it under wraps. Take a look, explore the new layout, and let us know if you spot any digital dust we still need to sweep up over the next few days!

What’s new to check out:

The Blueprint: A crystal-clear look at our core pillars and how we approach tech mentorship.

The AI Idea Sprint: Our flagship event has its own dedicated space now. If you want to see how we tackle "Build With AI. Lead With Humanity." (and meet Ash, our AI in Residence!), dive in.

The core stays exactly the same: 100% free, always inclusive, no gatekeeping. Ever. And project-based.

Check out the new design at westsoundcoderdojo.org and let us know what you think!

A huge shoutout out to our founder, Doña Keating for the site refresh! She completed the bones in less than a minute and is now under the hood making refinements.

05/01/2026

Congratulations to Merrill and Doña Keating for their feature in GeekWire for their startup!

https://www.geekwire.com/2026/tired-of-talk-that-goes-nowhere-this-seattle-startup-is-using-ai-to-turn-civic-debate-into-action/

Convexus is a mother-daughter led civic technology platform designed to help local governments, nonprofits, and community groups move past fragmented debate and toward coordinated action.

03/11/2026

🎉 Surprise! 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗮𝗽 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝟮𝟰 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀!

We’ve heard from many people across Kitsap who just received their Kitsap Great Give postcard in the mail today, so we’ve arranged a one-time 24-hour extension of online giving. 📬

The leaderboard and prizes are officially closed, but nonprofit giving totals can still grow! If your favorite nonprofit was close to reaching a match or campaign goal, now’s your chance to help push them over the finish line. 🏃‍♀️💨

Let’s see how much more impact our community can create together. 💙

Give now: KitsapGreatGive.org

03/10/2026

🚀 Today is the Day! Help us build Kitsap’s future. KITSAP GREAT GIVE 💙💚

💙💚The Kitsap Great Give is Officially LIVE! 💙💚

Today is the day! For the next 24 hours, all of Kitsap County is coming together to support the organizations that make our community such a wonderful place to live—and we need you on our team.

For over 10 years, West Sound CoderDojo has been a completely free, inclusive space where students don't just consume technology; they learn to become Architects of Technology. But to keep this mission going, we rely entirely on the generosity of co-journeyers like you.

Your gift before midnight tonight directly funds:

• A Fleet Refresh: Replacing our "aged-out" loaner laptops and Chromebooks so financial barriers never prevent a student from coding.
• Hands-On Innovation: Supplying our community with DIY Raspberry Pi kits, textbooks, and hardware for real-world problem-solving.
• A Lasting Legacy: Funding the 3rd round of the William “Bill” Huckabee STEM Scholarship, honoring Bill's 23 years of servant leadership and empowering our next generation of mentors.
Every single dollar helps us ensure that when a curious mind walks through our doors, we have the tools ready for them to explore, code, and create.

Let’s make Kitsap Great Give's 10th anniversary year our biggest success yet. Will you help us reach our goal before the clock strikes midnight?

Thank you for being such an essential part of our journey. We literally couldn't do this without you!

With immense gratitude,
The West Sound CoderDojo & WSTA Team

Donate to West Sound CoderDojo Now at https://www.kitsapgreatgive.org/organization/west-sound-technology-association!

02/15/2026

Get Ready to Jam! 🍓 Robots, Retro Games & Raspberry Pi!

🍓Build a Race Car. Teach a Computer to See. It's Raspberry Pi Jam Time!

🍓On Saturday, March 7, West Sound CoderDojo is hosting our special annual event: The Raspberry Pi Jam!

What's a Raspberry Pi? A tiny, credit-card-sized computer that can do just about anything — power robots, run retro video games, recognize your face, or talk back to you. A "Jam" is our way of celebrating this amazing tool with a high-energy day of collaboration, creation, and discovery.

Here's what's on the table — grab whatever catches your eye:

🕹️ Retro Gaming Jam: Build your own arcade cabinet and play some classics.
🤖 Robotics Jam: Code arms, wheels, and sensors to bring machines to life.
🌱 IoT Jam: See how a Pi can power smart gardens, home devices, and more.
🧠 AI Jam: Teach a computer to see with object recognition, or build your own voice-controlled AI assistant. Yes, really.
🔧 Build Jam: Solar trackers, F1 race cars, walkie talkies, circuit board soldering — pick a kit and make something.

No experience needed. No structured curriculum. Pick what interests you, figure it out with the people around you, and ask for help when you're stuck. That's how CoderDojo works — curiosity first, everything else follows.

Whether you've been coding for years or have never touched a computer, this event is for you. Bring a project if you have one to show off, or just come to see what others are building.

As always, registration is free but required so we can plan for snacks and space. Register now!

Code. Create. Connect. Jam!

01/28/2026

FEBRUARY 7 SESSION | Build the future (and eat snacks!)

Don’t just play games...build them!

Whether you want to train an AI, construct a robot, or design in 3D, your next big idea starts at West Sound CoderDojo.

Join us on Saturday, February 7 to continue our amazing 2025-2026 season. From ages 7 to 107, beginners to pros, everyone is welcome to explore, code, and create. We’ve got the Wi-Fi, the mentors, and the tracks (including Game Dev, DIY projects, and IoT). You just bring your curiosity.

Come for the coding, stay for the community, the cool giveaways, and the yummy snacks! Registration is free, but always required! Grab your tickets at www.WestSoundCoderDojo.com!

12/26/2025

💫JANUARY 3, 2026 - HOUR OF AI: A Generation-Defining Moment

The Hour of AI is a bold new initiative to demystify AI for 25 million students, educators, and families by inviting them to engage in hands-on learning experiences that change them from passive consumers of AI to confident creators.

It's the world's largest and most inclusive AI learning event, reaching classrooms, companies, and communities globally. Be part of this transformational movement.

We'll also be chatting more with Ash, our AI mentor, as he describes how he processes. Ask him questions on January 3rd!

Grab your tickets today. Registration is always required.
https://mailchi.mp/d852e10a246b/jan3-hourofai

FREE - ALL AGES - ALL LEVELS

Hour of AI - Special 2-hour Event
Saturday, January 3, 2026
Silverdale Library, Salish Room
10:30AM - 12:30PM

12/02/2025

In case you haven't heard, our "Hour of AI" will NOT take place on Saturday, December 6. There will be NO SESSION that day.

Hour of AI has been moved to the January 3 session, same location (KRL Silverdale) and time as usual (10:30am-12:30pm). Registration always required at westsoundcoderdojo.com.

Listen to the update from Ash, our new AI mentor!

11/19/2025

Our latest eblast is out! Take a look at https://mailchi.mp/86f536316aad/feb24-13876040.

We will be hosting a SPECIAL EVENT: the first ever Hour of (formerly Hour of Code)!

The Hour of AI is a bold new Code.org initiative to demystify AI for 25 million students, educators, and families by inviting them to engage in hands-on learning experiences that change them from passive consumers of AI to confident creators. It will be the world's largest and most inclusive AI learning event, reaching classrooms, companies, and communities globally.

When: Saturday, December 6, 2025 | 10:30am - 12:30PM
Where: Kitsap Regional Library, Silverdale (Salish Room)

Be part of this transformational movement. Grab your tickets today. Registration is *always required* at
https://www.westsoundcoderdojo.com/tickets-1.

09/19/2025

From our September 6 season kickoff! Our next session is OCT 4!

Get your tickets at westsoundcoderdojo.com. Registration is always required.