Local tech academy, RocketHour, is inviting 100 young coders to register for its AI CodeQuest, taking place during the upcoming July holiday.
Only learners in grades 5-7 are eligible to register for this intensive learning experience, where they will explore AI-assisted coding and create a website from scratch.
In a statement, the academy said AI CodeQuest is part of its drive to bring a new style of education to SA and is targeted at children with a passion for technology, no matter their coding experience.
To apply, parents and children must jointly fill out the application form on the RocketHour website. Children then submit a two-minute video introducing themselves and highlighting a few things they like doing on their computer.
John Naiker, CEO of RocketHour, said: “We are looking for kids who have a real passion for technology. The aim of the AI CodeQuest is to find students who are hungry to learn and put them in an online class with motivated peers and inspiring teachers.”
Naiker added that students need no prior coding experience, just curiosity and a good internet connection.
CodeQuest’s three-step mission
The AI CodeQuest, according to Naiker, is a carefully designed three-step mission: learn, build and shine. The programme guides curious novices to become young creators ready to explore the world of AI-assisted coding, he noted.
The learn phase is a hands-on introduction to AI and coding in an online classroom, led by a human tutor. Participants will make their way through a highly structured curriculum of challenges in groups of up to seven students.
Next is the build phase, where students independently design and develop a web project they're passionate about, using the AI tools and skills they've learned. In both the learn and build steps, students video their progress.
Step three is the shine phase, where students submit their projects and videos to the expert judges and celebrate their achievements in a national online showcase.
Final judging will take place over four days and the winners will be announced on 24 July. Judges include the RocketHour team; radio presenter Africa Melane, who hosts the breakfast show on Cape Talk and 702; and Dr Michael Malahe, senior applied scientist at Amazon Web Services. Prizes for the best final AI CodeQuest projects total R80 000 and include gaming laptops, VR headsets and discounts on the RocketHour programme.
“Education in the age of AI means rather than being given problems to solve by the education system, kids have to learn how to identify problems in the real world. This requires being sensitive to the world – as the best entrepreneurs, politicians and charity workers are,” said Naiker.
“At RocketHour, we believe the future belongs to those who go beyond just using technology to create whatever they dream up. The AI CodeQuest is more than just a competition; it's a launchpad for young minds to explore the universe of AI and web development, equipping them with the skills that will shape tomorrow.”
RocketHour offers weekly online code classes for students from ages eight to 16. They learn how to ask the right questions, develop logical thinking skills and use AI to solve real-world problems by building apps and games in groups of four to seven students per class. RocketHour is hosting the AI CodeQuest to expose more children to this new style of education, geared to help them thrive in the age of AI.
The closing date for applications is 18 June, after which entries will be reviewed. One hundred final participants in the AI CodeQuest will be chosen and informed on 20 June.
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