CoderDojo - Support kids learning to code globally

Dear friend,

Your donations, big or small, are the driving force behind our mission to empower young digital makers around the world. And we're excited to share a few of the amazing things your support has made possible over the past few months! 

The best year ever for Coolest Projects
This year's Coolest Projects online showcase was our most successful yet, with almost 12,000 young innovators from 41 countries sharing their incredible tech creations! It was inspiring to see so many projects, from AI-powered inventions to eco-friendly gadgets, all showcasing the creativity and commitment of young people learning with technology.

Fun ways to get involved
Young creators can explore our library of free, expert-designed coding projects, which are perfect for beginners and budding experts alike. They can make anything from animations to games, with step-by-step instructions that encourage creative and independent thinking.

Also, for those who dream of coding in space, the European Astro Pi Challenge is now open! Young people can write code that will run aboard the International Space Station, with projects for all skill levels.

Why coding still matters
You might be wondering about the role of coding in the age of AI. We recently published a position paper, Why kids still need to learn to code in the age of AI, that explains why coding is more vital than ever. We believe that equipping young people, especially those from underserved communities, with digital and AI literacy skills is essential for their future. You can read the paper by following the link included in this report.

Thank you again for your continued support. It’s because of generous donors like you that we can continue to create a brighter future for the next generation of digital makers.

With gratitude,

Emily

Links:

• Registration for the 2025-2026 European Astro Pi Challenge
• Coding Projects
• Why kids still need to learn to code in the age of AI

Dear Friend,

We're excited to share the latest updates on Coolest Projects 2025 and celebrate the incredible achievements of young digital makers!

Coolest Projects is our annual global technology showcase for young people aged up to 18. It’s a fantastic opportunity for them to share their coding projects and connect with peers. This year, we’ve held in-person events in Ireland, the USA, and the UK, with more still to come! 

Coolest Projects Ireland 2025
In March, we kicked off the Coolest Projects events at the Sport Ireland Campus National Indoor Training Centre in Dublin. Everyone was full of energy and enthusiasm, with young people showcasing a wide range of projects, from games and robots to apps. In total, 83 young people took part, sharing 65 projects. It was inspiring to hear young people share how much it meant to be able to showcase their projects and see other people’s creations. One participant shared, "I've been here before and I like being here, so I came back! Over the years, I've learned how to approach projects when working on them".

We were excited that our sponsor, Meta, championed the new AI category, as well as the ever-popular Hardware category. We are so grateful to the Meta employees who volunteered their time as judges, providing valuable feedback to participants. Kirsty was thrilled to be chosen as the ‘judge’s favourite’ for the AI category. Kirsty designed ‘A haon, dó, trí - Learn with me’, a fun tool to help young children learn Irish using machine learning for speech recognition.

Coolest Projects USA 2025
We were thrilled to bring Coolest Projects USA back as an in-person event at the Science Museum of Minnesota on April 3. Approximately 85 people attended and the young creators impressed us with projects ranging from a machine learning model for speech therapy, to a Scratch game about the Revolutionary War! Participants shared how much they enjoyed the event, with one saying, "I really like the environment, like very fun. I got to meet a ton of people who were interested in the same thing I am, which makes me very happy”.

We were also thrilled to welcome staff from Geek Squad Academy to the event and look forward to supporting each other’s joint ambitions to bring computer science education to kids across the US in the future. The Geek Squad Academy robots were a big hit with all of the creators! 

Coolest Projects UK
The UK event was a vibrant celebration at the Life Centre, Bradford, hosting 113 young creators and 58 scouts who completed stage 1 of their Digital Maker badge. The venue was bustling with proud parents, mentors, Scout Leaders, and visitors.

This year, the Coolest Projects team introduced exciting innovations such as the Presentation Station, where young exhibitors could create poster boards on the day, and opportunities to make binary friendship bracelets and circuit cards. The escape room was also a popular attraction. Overall, the event was a huge success and the largest in-person Coolest Projects event that the Raspberry Pi Foundation has held since the pandemic.

Online showcase
The excitement continues with the Coolest Projects online livestream taking place on June 25, 2025. Young creators from across the globe have been entering their digital technology projects to receive feedback and share their creations with the world. We can't wait to see which projects will be awarded the judges' favourites!  

In addition, we still have a brand new Coolest Projects event set to take place in India, in September 2025, as well as many other events hosted by our partners.

Thank you for your continued support, which helps to make these incredible events possible. Your generosity enables us to empower the next generation of digital creators. 

With gratitude,
Emily

Links:

• Coolest Projects
• Raspberry Pi Foundation