THE BRIDGE ISSUE 23 - DECEMBER 7, 2025
In 2022, I stepped into a new role that would change the way I saw teaching, learning, and innovation in schools.
My work supporting educators across Santa Barbara County introduced me to Seasons of CS—an inspiring statewide initiative designed to help teachers bring computer science opportunities into their classrooms.
It was a program rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and connection—and it reminded me just how powerful it can be when educators are given the time and space to explore something new together.
One of my favorite memories from that first year took place in a small district nestled between the hills and the coast.
I’d been invited to a staff meeting to demo a computer science lesson with K–6 teachers. We gathered in a cozy classroom where four baby chicks chirped softly from a playpen in the back corner—a living reminder of inquiry, care, and observation.
As I guided teachers through an unplugged CS activity, I couldn’t help but notice how much “computer science” was already alive in that room.
Those baby chicks were inspiring data collection, prediction, systems thinking, and collaboration—core elements of CS that were happening naturally, just without the label.
That moment stayed with me.
It taught me that computer science is so much more than coding.
We often stop there, as if CS begins and ends with programming languages and syntax.
But the reality is that we ask students to think like computer scientists all the time—we just don’t always name it that way.
When educators begin to see themselves as capable of teaching computer science through the lens of problem-solving, design, and creativity, everything changes.
Since that early experience, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside incredible educators across California who are building momentum for computer science education that’s equitable, inclusive, and human-centered.
Through my current role supporting the Cal MSCS grant, I’ve seen the power of communities of practice—educators coming together to share lessons, co-design projects, and explore how computer science connects to every subject area.
These communities are where transformation happens.
They’re spaces where teachers realize that CS isn’t just for certain grades, schools, or students—it’s for everyone.
And yet, despite the progress, I still feel the urgency.
We’re not there yet.
Too many students—especially those from historically marginalized communities—still don’t have access to meaningful computer science learning.
And that won’t change until every educator believes they can think, teach, and lead like computer scientists.
Not everyone needs to code, but every teacher can nurture computational thinking, explore the social impacts of computer science, and empower students to use data to understand the world around them.
These are the skills that will shape our shared future, especially as we step deeper into the era of AI.
For me, the next chapter of this work is about sustainability—continuing to build on what we’ve started and bringing more educators into the fold.
The more we strengthen networks of support and trust, the more we’ll see innovation rooted in equity.
If I could leave educators with one message, it would be this:
Start small. Start where you’re at.
You don’t need to overhaul your curriculum or learn a new language overnight.
Start by asking, “Where would our world be without computers?”
Then listen as your students take that question and run with it.
Curiosity will do the rest.
Because when we connect innovation with humanity—and when we empower educators to see themselves as part of this story—computer science becomes less about technology and more about possibility.
