10 Questions With Terry McDonough From Generation Code

Vienna’s Generation Code, a new coding and robotics program for children and teens ages 7-18, offers a curriculum developed by a team of educators and professional coders. Generation Code works toward a singular goal to make tech accessible, fun and active.

CEO Terry McDonough, a Harvard and MIT alum who has worked for top charter schools as an educator and consultant, envisions a future in which all kids are empowered to use coding and computational thinking as a tool to shape their own futures — as well as their communities’.

Terry spoke with Patch on the story behind Generation Code and what distinguishes the business from other coding programs.

Patch: How long have you been doing business in town?

McDonough: We’ve just opened! Our lab is in the new building on Church Street near Caffe Amouri and right next to where the new bookstore and Rita’s Italian Ice are opening up. We’ve been starting to get involved in town activities since the fall, though. We’ve really enjoyed all the things going on around here; we were at First Night and Viva Vienna, for example!

Patch: What attracted you to the business you’re in, and how did you get started?

McDonough: We actually grew out of an adult coding bootcamp in New York. A number of the students there were also parents, and they wanted their kids to learn all of the skills that they were building in their course. Then, we realized that the parents weren’t the only ones who wanted to learn how to code. Their kids were really into it!

That’s when we started working out how to teach these skills to kids and teens in a way that will not only actually build 21st century skills, but would also be fun in the process. We’ve been running in-school programs with dozens of schools and community groups in New York City for the last two years. Seeing the success of these programs and the demand for after-school enrichment, we decided to focus on the lab model and are excited to launch in Vienna.

Patch: If you had to sum up your business mission to a stranger in five words, what would those words be?

McDonough: Make tech accessible and fun!

Patch: What’s the biggest challenge or most difficult moment you’ve faced in your job?

McDonough: Staying focused and patient. There is a lot of demand for kids coding and computer science. We’ve had inquiries from schools and cities across the United States, and even abroad, about bringing our program to them. While these opportunities could be exciting, we still have ideas for improving our programs. And that requires staying focused on New York and greater Washington, DC area for the time being.

Patch: What’s the most satisfying part of your job?

McDonough: I think the most satisfying part of this job is knowing that we’re doing our bit to close the broader skills gap in the United States and really preparing kids and teens for their futures.

Patch: You’re not the only person in this business. How do you distinguish yourself from the others?

McDonough: After looking closely into other kids coding programs, we realized that each have their own shortcomings. Some are too focused on being fun, so they don’t teach real skills, while others do the opposite, diminishing the joy of creating with tech.

The first thing we bring to the table is our incredible team. We have award-winning K-12 teachers, tech camp leaders and consultants, each of whom is passionate about making these skills accessible. We’re both programmers and educators, and we use both sets of expertise to make programs that are both kid-friendly and teach real, in-demand coding skills and languages.

Finally, we built our curriculum to teach kids more than just coding! Every lesson and camp is jam-packed with opportunities to build key 21st century skills like creativity, collaboration and critical thinking.

Patch: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given when it comes to success?

McDonough: Curiosity is really powerful.

Patch: What would you say are a few secrets to your success?

McDonough: We’re honest with parents and pay attention when things are working or not working. We want to give each of our students a really incredible experience, so our true method for success is always keep the focus on the kids’ needs.

Patch: What is your favorite thing about the Patch?

McDonough: I really enjoy how easy the Patch makes it to support local businesses and quickly become part of a new community.

Patch: Do you have any events coming up in your community? If so, tell us about them!

McDonough: We recently our grand opening and ribbon-cutting for the lab! We’re there from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, so stop by during those hours and check out our lab! We’d love to show you the space, tell you more about how we work with your kids and get to know our neighbors better!

Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about your work and business?

McDonough: Other than visiting our website or social pages, you can call us at (866) 407-2345 or email info@generationcode.com. We’d love to talk with you — parent or not!

Find Generation Code on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Photo credit: Generation Code