Meet the Scratcher: huagoose
Scratchers find a sense of belonging in the online community through shared interests and respect of one another
By My Nguyen
To 15-year-old Scratcher huagoose, the best projects on Scratch are ones that promote collaboration and remixing.
“That’s how I learned most of my Scratch skills — through studying the work of other Scratchers and by working with them. I also enjoy games, art projects, animations, pen projects, memes, MAPs (multi-animator projects) and many others,” she said.
Huagoose first learned about Scratch in the fifth grade, when her computer instructor used the offline version of Scratch to introduce students to coding. Though the class lasted only a semester, it sparked her interest.
“Remembering the fun I had making projects in the fifth grade, I decided to check out books on Scratch from the public library during the summer before middle school. The few books I found turned out not to be helpful and didn’t teach me much more than I already knew.”
With the help of her parents, huagoose went online to find resources that could teach her more —and that’s when she discovered the Scratch website. After browsing projects for a few months, she decided on a username and registered for a Scratch account.
“Hua is the transliteration of the Chinese word for flower, so ‘hua goose’ means ‘flower goose.’ Many Scratchers have asked me whether ‘hua-goose’ is a misspelling of ‘hug a goose.’ It’s hilarious!”
Since then, huagoose has become a highly-engaged member of the Scratch online community, acting as a Scratch Design Studio curator and Scratch Camp “counselor” and helping with Chinese translations.
The Scratch Foundation caught up with the avid Scratcher over email to learn more about her experiences with Scratch.
Can you describe the first project you created with Scratch?
My very first project was made with the Scratch 1.4 editor, six years ago in computer class. It was a simple project: we were supposed to make Scratch Cat walk across the stage and back, changing costumes along the way to create a walking animation. In the next few sessions, my classmates and I expanded our first projects, applying graphic effects, adding sounds, changing the background and making our own sprites.
The first project I shared on Scratch was a remix of a featured project, Downball. The original projected included the “Create Clone” block. At the time, I remember thinking that I would never understand how that block worked. Now, three years later, I have made several projects using the “Create Clone” block. One of these projects, Snow Globe Creator, was even featured! It’s really amazing how much I have learned since I joined the Scratch community.
How do you get ideas for your Scratch projects?
I usually come up with project ideas while browsing on Scratch and viewing projects. There is just so much creativity and talent on Scratch that I’m often inspired by the work of other Scratchers, and I learn a lot from them by studying their code and art. I also get ideas for projects while doing mundane things, like watching movies or documentaries, swimming, taking a shower, and sometimes even when lying in bed.
How would you describe the Scratch community?
I would describe the Scratch community as a wonderful place to learn, collaborate, exchange ideas, make friends, and most of all, have fun. Sometimes we run into negative or rude comments, but most Scratchers are responsible and friendly, so for most Scratchers, the overall experience is positive.
What does it mean to be a member of the Scratch community?
To me, it means having a sense of belonging with a group of learners who share an interest in programming, respect each other despite our differences, and care about making our community an even better place.
What is a memorable experience you’ve had in the Scratch community?
I would say being featured was one of the most memorable experiences for me. So far, I have been featured twice. I spent a lot of time making both of my featured projects — Snow Globe Creator and Space Gems 3D — and though I hoped they would be featured, I didn’t expect that they would be chosen because there are so many amazing projects on Scratch. I was happily surprised both times when I got on Scratch and found my project on the featured row. It’s hard to believe that it actually happened! As a way to express my appreciation for the support I received from other Scratchers who viewed and cared enough to leave comments, I tried to reply to all the comments.
Have you learned anything on Scratch that you’ve been able to apply outside of Scratch?
Scratch has taught me the fundamentals of coding. I’m currently learning other programming languages such as Python, and my experience with Scratch has helped me become a better coder in logical thinking and creativity. By communicating with other Scratchers and helping out in studios, I’ve also improved my communication skills.
What advice would you give to a new Scratcher?
Explore, make projects, introduce yourself to the community, join studios, make friends, and above all, don’t be afraid to ask when you have questions or need help. Be polite and constructive, and abide by the community guidelines. Be encouraging and constructive with your comments. Remixing projects will help you learn faster, but always remember to give credit when you do. If you find a project that you like, you can leave a love or favorite to show your support. You can also follow the creator of the project if you would like to see more of their projects in the future.
Don’t be discouraged by not getting noticed. Keep on Scratching, and your skills will get better and your hard work will get the attention it deserves in time.
My Nguyen is Communications Specialist for the Scratch Foundation.
