Building Coder with the Heart of San Diego (A Letter to Our Neighbors)

We’re thrilled to be part of San Diego’s growing tech scene, and we’re even more excited that Coder, our after-school coding studio dedicated to inspiring a love of coding and curiosity, is officially calling San Diego home.

When my husband and I first moved to San Diego from the East Coast with our two kiddos, we were a bit worried. Would we belong? Two years in, and those fears seem almost silly. San Diego has welcomed us with open arms and we want to give back.

Our neighbors, all amazingly kind people, have played a pivotal role in shaping Coder. They volunteered their children as beta testers when we were designing our curriculum. These little ones provided invaluable feedback and transformed our program into an exciting learning adventure. They and I had a blast iterating on ideas, and I’m immensely grateful for their enthusiasm and the trust of their parents.

Shout out to you kids! You are the best!

But it’s more than just the neighbors, it’s the neighborhood. The local business community has been an incredible source of support. JEI, a well-established after-school learning program, opened their doors to us, providing a space to experiment with a pilot five-week class. The Elegant Cleaners & Laundry business just next door showered us with hellos and love. And Tim and his team  over at Big Frog Custom T-shirts are just incredible. I can’t wait to partner with them in the coming year.

It’s clear that San Diegans have a special way of coming together to support their community. This sense of camaraderie and collaboration is what makes our city so unique. We are thinking intensely on how to ensure that same spirit of collaboration oozes from our coding studio.

We’re excited to officially open our doors and welcome San Diego’s young minds into the world of coding. We’re a little nervous, of course, but mostly we’re proud of what we’ve built and excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Coder and for the amazing young people we’re privileged to work with.

So, join us as we run head first into this exciting journey in the beautiful city we call home.