Meet the Scratcher: Isabella B.

How did you become interested in coding and Scratch?

My dad is a programmer, and he introduced me to Scratch. At the time, I had no idea what Scratch was, but the bright color of the website drew me into it. It was my first introduction to coding. I had never done anything like it before, so it was really exciting.

Do you remember the first project you created in Scratch?

My first project was a dog chasing a cat. It was really simple. I was still figuring out how to use the blocks. I played for a while before creating my own project. I looked at other projects, too.

The fact that I was able to share a project excited me. I realized that coding an awesome game or animation was a real possibility!

Tell me about your favorite Scratch project you’ve completed.

One of my favorite projects is Jasper and Boo, a series about two ghosts named Jasper and Boo — Casper the Friendly Ghost’s long lost cousins. The third episode actually got featured on the homepage! It was the first time that I started making longer projects and animations on Scratch. It was the first project that I really got into, and that people really responded to, too. It motivated me to continue programming.

How about a favorite Scratch project that is not your own?

That’s a hard one! I like a lot of funny animations. I like a lot of the user griffpatch’s projects. They’re more complex games that inspire me to continue developing more complex skills like using gravity and making platformer games.

Can you describe your experience in the Scratch online community?

I definitely love the community on Scratch! On my first day using Scratch, I looked at a few projects and commented on them, saying “Wow, this is so great!” and letting them know that I was new to the community. To my surprise, Scratch users commented back and helped me. They were my first friends on Scratch. I’ve made a lot of friends.

I recently made a Feedback Studio. People can add their projects to the Studio and receive feedback. Other users can comment on the projects and share what they liked or ways that they can improve. It makes me happy that people are taking advantage of having such an amazing online community.

What is your creative process like? How do you get your ideas?

Honestly, things will just come to me. Sometimes, my younger brother and I will make a joke to each other, and I’ll think, “That would make a really great Scratch project!”

Have you introduced Scratch programming to your brother?

Yes, my brother Brendon loves computer games and playing around on the computer. One day, he saw me on Scratch and asked me if I was playing a new game. I explained that you can actually make your own games and projects with Scratch. Immediately, he grabbed his laptop, and soon we were both sitting at the dining room table programming. I showed him what I had learned and we started from there.

There are a lot of programming languages out there. Why do you like creating projects with Scratch?

There are so many reasons. The community is definitely one of them. I love how Scratch encourages you to share your projects with other people. Create studios, comment, love, and favorite… It makes things feel interactive — it’s motivating. I also love the block-based programming. It’s hard, but simple at the same time.

What surprised you about learning how to program?

Whenever I saw my dad programming, it always looked very complicated, which is why I stayed away from it. But looking at Scratch, I felt like anyone could get started. I was surprised with how easy it was for me to build on what I already knew. You can start simple and build complex things. I also thought it would be boring. Scratch makes things so fun.

I’m teaching Scratch to fourth graders right now, and they’re responding so well. It’s something that anyone can do.

Can you tell us more about your experience teaching fourth graders?

My brother’s fourth grade teacher is a tech-savvy person who incorporates technology into the classroom. My dad was talking to her one day and mentioned my love for programming. She had heard of Scratch and invited me to teach Scratch programming to her class every Friday for 40 minutes. That was probably one of the most exciting moments of my life!

Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous. I was more excited than nervous. I based the lesson plans off of my personal experience. I started out with the basics. The kids were great, they asked great questions. They couldn’t wait to get started.

What has surprised you about mentoring younger children?

How creative they are. They have so many ideas that I never would have thought of. I loved how much they wanted to learn. They started to discover and learn on their own. Their teacher told me that the students would go home and continue to explore in Scratch.

What advice you would give to someone who wants to learn how to code?

Go for it. Just get started on Scratch! It doesn’t take a lot of thought to get started. It’s not something you have to plan for. You can do it anywhere at any time. You can do anything that fits your interests.

How has programming with Scratch affected you?

When people use Scratch, new things can be possible for them. Scratch has made me more creative. It brought out a new creativity. I’ve learned how to think more logically.

With Scratch, you can start with the basics, but you can also build on the things you’ve learned. It’s a lot of trial and error. When something doesn’t work, I have to go back and determine what I need to change or fix. For me, that taught me to keep trying no matter what.

Scratch has made me more motivated in school. It has changed the way I think about things. It’s changed everything!

What do you want to create next?

I would like to start working on a more complex game. I want to start planning out a project that takes my personal coding experience to a new level.