HOUSTON, TX (December 21, 2023) — Code Ninjas, the world leader in kids’ coding education, announced the winners of its inaugural Prodigy Program, a pioneering enrichment education initiative.

In conjunction with its first partner in the program, Microsoft MakeCode, Code Ninjas selected a total of 10 Ninjas as winners. Eight winners that hail from the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom earned an all-expense-paid trip to Seattle, Washington, to enjoy an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the renowned Microsoft Headquarters in September. Additionally, two winners in the United Kingdom received a Microsoft Surface Tablet.

Ninjas selected for this one-of-a-kind experience include Adam (El Segundo, Calif.), Bianca (Coral Springs, Fla.), Caleb (Canada), Hayden (Canada), Malcolm (Sudbury, Mass.), Sebastian (San Antonio, Texas), Jaxon (Hoffman Estate, Ill.) and Jacob (Borehamwood, U.K.). The two U.K. winners who received a Microsoft Surface Tablet were George from High Wycombe and Rachel from Edinburgh.

As part of their tour experience, Ninjas explored Microsoft’s Garage, a hub of innovation where tech professionals collaborate on cutting-edge projects, along with a visit to Microsoft’s Company Store and Visitor Center and enjoyed lunch at the Commons. Ninjas met the Microsoft team and engaged in conversations with other tech professionals including the XBOX, Bing, and AI teams.

The Prodigy Program is a first-of-its-kind in the field of enrichment education and provides a unique opportunity for the students at Code Ninjas, known as Ninjas, to delve behind the scenes of the world’s leading technology and gaming companies. This program not only equips these Ninjas with robust coding skills but also offers an in-depth understanding of the real-world tech industry.

“In the first year of the Prodigy Program, it was great to see all the participation we received from the Ninjas,” said Matt Rogers, Chief Marketing Officer of Code Ninjas. “This proved to be a great success and we look forward to providing continued inspiration to kids interested in coding and STEM through this partnership.”

As the inaugural partner, Microsoft MakeCode exposes Prodigy Program participants to an enriching curriculum that covers various topics from game design to hardware programming. The curriculum ensures that the Ninjas are not only equipped with the technical skills needed to excel but also gain first-hand insight into the workings of a global tech giant.

“Partnering with Code Ninjas on the Prodigy Program perfectly aligns with our mission to empower the next generation of technology creators and innovators,” said Jaqueline Russell, Program Manager of Microsoft MakeCode. “We were eager to see what these young minds would create and contribute to the world of technology.”

For more information on all the winners, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXd9qOUBo54&t=32s.

Code Ninjas teaches coding to children ages 7-14 through a fun and interactive curriculum inspired by martial arts.

About Code Ninjas
Founded in 2016, Code Ninjas® is the nation’s largest and fastest-growing kids coding franchise. In hundreds of Code Ninjas centers across the country, kids ages 7-14 have fun building video games while gaining life-changing skills in coding, robotics, and problem solving. Kids have fun, parents see results®. For more information, visit www.codeninjas.com. 

About Microsoft MakeCode

Microsoft MakeCode brings computer science to life for all students with fun projects, immediate results, and both block and text editors for learners at different levels.

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