MIDLAND, Texas — For kids interested in sports or music, they have plenty of avenues to improve their craft.
The athletes have their pick of the litter when it comes to sports. Football, baseball, soccer and basketball are just some of the sports that can be played.
Music kids can be put in private classes or even find tutors. High schools also offer band classes kids can take to expand their craft.
For the kids who want to learn how to code, however, it can be a little tougher trying to find a way to expand their knowledge.
That's why Code Ninjas in Midland and their owner Jaclyn Gaona are trying to give those kids who want to be coders a shot at doing what they want to do.
“We need to create a community for them, so for Code Ninjas, it lets them let their nerd flag fly and be creative and build things, problem solve and critically think," Gaona said. "Instead of just consuming video games, they become creators.”
Students “level up” through a belt system. They start at the white belt level, which is just the basics and the final level is naturally at black belt.
It's at Code Ninjas that kids like Campbell Ware get a chance to code their own characters and video games.
"I'm working on a game where you have to get to your boat and someone is chasing you," Campbell said. "If they catch you, they lose.”
At Code Ninjas, kids aren't just learning how to code. They also learn valuable life skills that can only come through the trials and errors of game creation.
“They are unfiltered, they're frustrated and they're angry. You have to learn how to maneuver through that, it's a life skill," Gaona said. "When it gets hard and you wanna quit, you wanna keep going and you got to take a deep breath, learn some healthy coping skills and come back to the table.”
It's why the assistants - or "Code Sensei" - come in handy. They help out the kids when it comes to working on a project or clearing up some confusion.
“When there is something I'm confused about, they show me what I'm supposed to do and how to do it," Campbell said. "It makes my project better.”
At Code Ninjas, it’s not just about the video game code but about the life lessons students take both in and out of the classroom.
“There's no way around it. Parents can't buy it for you parents can't fix it, you've got to work through it and maneuver it," Gaona said. "That's what I love about coding, all of those life lessons wrapped up in each child's coding journey.”