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 title: Adopt-a-Nerd
 date: 2023-12-26 10:30:00
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For the last 3 years or so, I've been volunteering to support the
Computer Science curriculum at my neighborhood high school.

Generally, this has meant anything from guest lecturing in the
classroom, mentoring in CS-based after-school programs, advising
Senior students on their capstone projects, and sitting on the
Capstone presentation panel.

I have loved every second of this work, because it's an opportunity
to give back in a way that leverages my skills and interests, but a
few interesting things have stood out to me over the course of this
journey.

## Lesson The First

The first thing I learned is that the vast majority of High School
Computer Science teachers do not have a CS degree and have never
worked in industry. In fact, many of them are only a step ahead of
their students in terms of technical aptitude.

I don't think this is a bad thing by any stretch. These teachers
are both interested in—and excited about—the work they do, but it
is a stark contrast from other programs. I've never seen an art
teacher that didn't study art, a math teacher that didn't study
math, or a Spanish teacher that didn't study Spanish; although, I
guess some gym teachers on the other hand...

This isn't an altogether surprising reality, though.

When you consider the fact that a fresh Computer Science grad is
likely to make a $60k starting salary, with the potential for $160k
in less than a decade, it's no surprise that they opt for a path as
an industry professional instead of an educator.

## Lesson The Second

The second thing I noticed is that I am, by far, the youngest
software development professional in the volunteer pool—which is
doubly concerning when you consider the fact that I'm almost 40.

I've been a bit saddened by the lack of other mid-career
professionals amongst my fellow volunteers, but as best I can tell
it is a combination of availability and connection. Most
30-something software developers don't have kids that are old
enough to be in high school, which means that there's nothing that
actively _connects_ them to high schools in their area.

Why volunteer to teach Computer Science at a school your kids—if
you have any—won't be at for another 5-10 years? The other
volunteers all have kids or grandkids that have recently attended
the school, which means that their personal incentive is
significantly higher.

The fact of the matter is, though, that younger professionals have
a better chance of connecting with teenagers.

It's not about being "cool," but about creating a model of someone
they can see themselves becoming. I remember being 16, and I was
way more likely to be able to envision myself in the shoes of a
36-year-old guest lecturer than the 66-year-old teacher.

## Lesson The Third

The final thing that I noticed is that, despite the best efforts of
the hardworking teachers, the _students_ are not set up for any
real success by the district.

Strong words, I know, but hear me out.

Green Mountain High School, where I've been volunteering, has an
amazing career program that focuses on what students can achieve
_after_ High School without pushing the not-always-viable
University path.

Options like trade schools, apprenticeships, and Community Colleges
are all well-defined and the school works hard to connect with
professionals like myself to round their educational curriculum out
and ensure the students are not only aware of their options, but
can build real connections to help them thrive _after_ graduation.

I absolutely _love_ this mindset, which is a stark contrast from my
own High School experience.

That said, the district has different goals that don't always serve
students interested in Information Technology, Software
Development, or Computer Science very well.

Most schools today require (or _strongly recommend_ Chromebooks)
for their students. This serves a lot of functions, such as
consistency between computer-based classroom education, shared
resources, and mobile device management.

But do you know what Chromebooks _don't_ do? They don't make for
great _software development machines_, that's what.

Couple that with the aggressive lockdowns imposed on district
networks for both "security" and "purity" reasons, and you have
classrooms full of computer science students learning how to code
Python in a web browser on an 11" screen using the one online REPL
that hasn't been blocked yet.

## `./solve.py`

So, what is the solution here?

I'm not 100% sure, but I feel pretty confident that "fixing the
system" isn't a viable option. But what _is_ viable is for
us—meaning the handful of fellow nerds that read this blog—to get
more involved.

You can always volunteer your time. It's as simple as reaching out
to the principal of a school in your area and carving out a
_little_ bit of time in your schedule to provide some support. I
make myself as available as they need me to be, but an hour a
month, or even a semester, may be all you can handle; and that is
OK!

If you can't volunteer your time, then consider donating equipment.

Green Mountain High School maintains a library of old, donated
laptops that they use to teach the students how to do more complex
things. Installing Linux, compiling code, networking. They're not
great, but when compared to Chromebooks (and even the janky
thrift-store box that was _my_ first computer), it's a great start.

Not all High Schools are able to support a lending program like
this, though, so be sure to reach out first. If you find that they
just can't or won't take your old laptop, feel free to shoot me an
email [0] and I would be happy to clean it up, spin up Linux on it,
and find a new home for it with a student who wants more hands-on
experience outside of the classroom.

After all, if their parents bought them a Chromebook, the
likelihood that they'll _also_ spring for another laptop or
computer to learn how to code on is pretty slim (as I've seen
firsthand).

Regardless of how you might get involved, all I can say is that I
hope you do _something_. If Computer Science is going to be a
successful High School curriculum—one that exposes kids _that are
not already into computers_ to the joys of computing—then it's
going to take the active support of the entire industry.

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[0]: mailto:zach@flower.codes
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>> This is post 012 of #100DaysToOffload

EOF