When Rashida, a middle school computer science teacher in Detroit Public Schools, walked into her Code/Art professional development (PD) session, she expected more of the same. A self-taught artist who had taught Scratch since 2011, she had never considered coding as a medium for artistic expression. Like many of the 16 teachers in the training, she was required to attend for continuing education credit and anticipated a routine, uninspiring experience. Instead, Rashida was wowed.
During a session on creative coding, she experimented with building an abstract art generator and explored the work of digital artist Rafael Rozendaal. For Rashida, it was a revelation—an epiphany that art could unlock the creative power of coding. That very night, she rewrote her lesson plan.
The next morning, she introduced the project to her students in grades three through seven.
The reaction was immediate and electric. Students who had struggled to engage in computing lit up with excitement, eager to share their creations. They proudly posted projects on Class Dojo, inviting parents and the school community to celebrate their work. Rashida noted that the joy and pride she saw in her students far surpassed what she had ever experienced with traditional robotics kits.
Two days later, she invited the Code/Art team to visit her classroom. They were greeted by a room buzzing with creativity, collaboration, and confidence.
Inspired by Code/Art’s emphasis on representation, Rashida also created a powerful classroom display titled “This Is What a Computer Scientist Looks Like.” Featuring diverse women and men in technology—and a mirror placed at the center—it sent a clear message: her students belong in computer science.
Rashida’s story illustrates the ripple effect of Code/Art’s teacher training. By empowering one teacher, entire classrooms of students were introduced to the creative side of technology—and to the possibility of seeing themselves as future innovators.
Thank you to PPG and PPG Foundation for supporting this teacher workshop and helping us reach more students and educators in Detroit like Rashida.
