West Sound CoderDojo

10/01/2026

We have more fun DIY projects for you to tinker with this Saturday. Get your free tickets (registration required) at https://westsoundcoderdojo.com/tickets.html and we'll see you then!

OCTOBER 3 - Code. Create, Lead.
10:30am-12:30pm
Silverdale Library

09/29/2026

OCTOBER 3 - Code. Create, Lead.
Register now and join us!

Our season kickoff event in September was small but powerful and intentional. Coding, AI, DIY, conversation - it's what we're all about. It was a beautiful and sunny day, and we know there are many other things our participants could be doing. That's why we're especially appreciative when the community shows up.

THERE IS NO RIGHT WAY TO START.
Curiosity is still the best place to start. We'll figure out the rest together.

See you this Saturday! Free registration - always required
10:30am-12:30pm
Silverdale Library

https://westsoundcoderdojo.com/

09/04/2026

⚡️Top of Industry — Breaking This Week
NYC Just Banned AI in Schools Through 8th Grade.

Nearly 600,000 students. One year. No generative AI. The debate just got real.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced this week that NYC public schools will ban student use of generative AI from kindergarten through 8th grade for the 2026–27 school year. The moratorium affects roughly two-thirds of the city’s public school enrollment. Officials say children need to develop problem-solving and social skills alongside teachers and peers, not AI tools.

High schoolers will get AI literacy lessons twice a year, focused on bias, ethics, and critical thinking. Teachers may still use AI for lesson planning.

“This moratorium is a commitment to getting the future right. We will embrace new technology, but only when it serves our students.”
— Mayor Zohran Mamdani, NYC

We understand the concern. Unguided AI use in classrooms can undermine critical thinking, encourage shortcuts, and erode the human skills that matter most. But we believe the answer isn’t to ban AI; it’s to teach kids how to direct it, question it, and build with it responsibly. That’s exactly what we’re doing September 5.

West Sound CoderDojo is Kitsap’s free, community-run coding club — open to all ages, all levels, and all curious minds since 2015. No gatekeeping, ever.

08/27/2026

This summer was quieter than intended in terms of keeping in touch, but busy overall.

The 2026-2027 Season starts up again with our September 5 session, so get your tickets ASAP.

👉Also, we have a Community Question for you:

❓“If AI could redesign one thing about your school, neighborhood, or community — what would you want it to tackle first, and why?”

No wrong answers — only interesting ones. Jump into our Convexus discussion and share your thoughts. We’re collecting responses and may feature the most compelling ideas for a future community project!❓

Our latest eblast: https://shorturl.at/gI8a1

Community Question: https://shorturl.at/xwO3y

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.