How Code.org and Native Educators Boost Engagement in Computer Science for Native American Students

Native American students often face significant academic challenges, typically performing two to three grade levels below their white peers in reading and math, and are twice as likely to leave school early. Yet, despite these odds, Lance West earned a college degree in secondary education, even after becoming a father at 17. Today, he serves as the principal of an elementary school on the Walker River Reservation in Nevada, dedicated to providing his students with a strong educational foundation. 

Recognizing that Nevada’s math scores are among the lowest in the country, Lance sought innovative ways to engage his students beyond traditional curriculum methods and turned to Code.org for help. Code.org, led by founder and CEO Hadi Partovi, aims to ensure that every student has access to computer science education. The nonprofit achieves this by developing online courses and training teachers to lead coding classes themselves. 

In partnership with Cisco, Code.org offers these courses at no cost through its website. Given the increasing importance of computer science, especially with the growing interest in AI, these resources are more relevant than ever. To make computer science more relatable to Native American students, Code.org product manager Amy Woodman collaborated with an Indigenous educator to create a culturally relevant “Star Quilt” module. Lance noticed a remarkable difference in his students’ enthusiasm, noting their immediate engagement. His favorite response from them? “This is easy!” 

Click here to see the BBC StoryWorks video and know more the Star Quilt module and its impact on Lance’s students.

Click here to explore the online courses Code.org has to offer by visiting their website and learn more on how Code.org is helping educators embrace AI in the classroom at TeachAI.org .