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South Tampa, FL

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Welcome to theCoderSchool
1730 S Dale Mabry Hwy,
In Carriage Trade Plaza

(813)422-5566 • southtampa@thecoderschool.com

Looking for the best place to learn to code? Look no further. From novice to advanced, we can teach students at any level. At theCoderSchool, we teach with a small ratio to allow our expert Code Coaches to get to know our students and teach them as individuals, using a custom project-building approach. Fill out our form to learn more! Learn to code. Change the World.®

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Our Philosophy

Looking for coding lessons for kids in South Tampa, FL? We're here to help. We believe every kid is different, so we teach them accordingly. Our expert coders teach our students in a super-small two to one ratio, allowing our Code Coaches to personalize projects built to suit each student. Kids are able to move at their own pace and engage in things that interest them most.

Our Programs

Our coding school's flagship after-school program, Code Coaching, combines a super-small 2:1 teaching ratio with individualized curriculum. Although Code Coaching works from novice to advanced coders, we also offer entry-level classes for those looking for a more traditional class in a larger ratio, as well as @school classes and our ever popular coding camps.

Our System

We're part of a nationwide system of over 65 locations around the country, teaching over 7,000 students every week with the brainpower of 1000+ expert Code Coaches®. Headquartered and founded in Silicon Valley since 2014, we're proud of the impact theCoderSchool has had on communities everywhere. Find out more about Who We Are in our brand video .

How Students Progress

OUR CODER TREE

See our visualization of what kids are learning and a sampling of possibilities.

Learn About
Our Coder Tree

What's YOUR
Coder Story?

OUR CODER STORY

Find our coding roadmap that goes beyond coding custom apps to building a story for college

Camp Schedule By Week

We have Full-Day and Half-Day beginner-advanced friendly coding camps. Our summer camps combine, STEM skill development with summer fun, providing a unique learning environment! The camp's coaches are elite computer science students from USF & Ut. Full-Day starts 8:30 am - 3:15 pm, aftercare is available till 5 pm at Acadamy at the Lakes and from 9AM-3PM at New Tampa & South Tampa locations. If you require Half-Day Camps, they are available only at our Carrollwood location: Mornings from 9 am - 12 pm & Afternoons from 12 PM - 3PM. Use code SUMMER2024 at checkout to receive your early bird discount!
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Scroll table to see all 16 camps
Week Format Camp Ages Price
6/3-6/7 Full Day Roblox Part 1: Launch Your Own Obby Game Get your imagination flowing with Roblox Studio, an immersive game engine that can be played on the web, mobile, or even in virtual reality! You'll learn the fundamentals of game design and build your very own obstacle course, complete with fire-spawning platforms and speed boosts that’ll put your name on the top of the leaderboard. And with Roblox’s toolbox and a dash of creativity, you’ll sculpt mountains and design custom art for your avatar to wear in-game. Ages 7-10 Ages 7-10 $475 $375
6/3-6/7 Full Day Python Part 1: Python 101 Begin your journey into computer programming with Python, one of the most in-demand coding languages in the world! You’ll develop essential programming skills by working through logic games and learning foundational algorithms. Once you have your feet wet, you’ll go all-in by designing your own arcade-style game. Deepen your understanding of computational thinking and grow more ambitious with every project! Beginning with Python will start you on a long and fulfilling path in coding and STEM. Ages 11-14 Ages 11-14 $525 $425
6/10-6/14 Full Day Roblox Part 2: Virtual Reality, Launch Your Own Obby Game in VR Experience Roblox with Virtual Reality (VR) by building your obstacle course with fire-spawning platforms and speed boosts that'll put your name on the top of the leaderboard, all in VR. Bring your Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, or Meta Quest Pro VR Headset. Have fun coding and playing with fellow campers. Kids will demonstrate their Roblox VR game to parents on the last day of camp. Ages 7-10 Ages 7-10 $475 $375
6/10-6/14 Full Day Python Part 2: Python For Gamers Dive into our Tetris Python Pygame Camp, where young minds aged 11-14 transform coding concepts into a classic game. In just one week, campers learn Python basics and game development in Pygame, ending with their own Tetris game. This hands-on camp boosts problem-solving skills and creativity, emphasizing teamwork in a fun, supportive environment. Perfect for aspiring programmers and game enthusiasts, it's a blend of learning, creativity, and classic gaming fun! Ages 11-14 Ages 11-14 $525 $425
6/17-6/21 Full Day Robotics Part 1: with Scratch and mBot Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto! If you’re excited about coding/programming and controlling physical robots, look no further than our Robotics camp. The camp is perfect for newbies. Ages 7-10 Ages 7-10 $475 $375
6/17-6/21 Full Day Roblox Entrepreneur Part 1: Lua Coding and Game Scripting Roblox is one of the fastest-growing game creation platforms on the planet, with more than 100 million players per month and top developers making over $1 million a year. Use Roblox’s built-in editor with Lua—a powerful and fast programming language—to design challenging levels and code intuitive gameplay mechanics. Then, publish, share, and play games with your friends on any platform, from console to mobile. Lua enables you to create scripts either for your own game or to sell to other game designers! Ages 11-14 Ages 11-14 $525 $425
6/24-6/28 Full Day Robotics Part 2: with Scratch and Micro Bit Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto again! If you’re excited about coding/programming and controlling physical robots, continue your journey into the physical world with Micro Bit. The camp is perfect for newbies to begin or continue their journey into robotics. Ages 7-10 Ages 7-10 $475 $375
6/24-6/28 Full Day Roblox Entrepreneur Part 2: Imaginative Game Design Roblox is one of the fastest-growing game creation platforms on the planet, with more than 100 million players per month and top developers making over $1 million a year! In this imaginative game design course, you’ll use Roblox’s built-in editor to create 3D worlds, then publish, share, and play games with your friends on any platform, from console to mobile. You’ll have a blast studying games that have been runaway hits and learning how to implement the same gameplay and monetization strategies in your own games. Ages 11-14 Ages 11-14 $525 $425
7/1-7/5 Full Day Games are Awesome - Build an awesome game with Scratch by MIT We'll use the coolest drag n' drop language Scratch from MIT to create an awesome game! The camp is perfect for newbies and novice young coders. Ages 7-10 Ages 7-10 $475 $375
7/1-7/5 Full Day Roblox Entrepreneur Part 3: Virtual Reality, Launch Your Own Obby Game in VR Experience Roblox with Virtual Reality (VR) by building your obstacle course with fire-spawning platforms and speed boosts that'll put your name on the top of the leaderboard, all in VR. Bring your Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, or Meta Quest Pro VR Headset. Have fun coding and playing with fellow campers. Kids will demonstrate their Roblox VR game to parents on the last day of camp. Ages 11-14 Ages 11-14 $525 $425
7/8-7/12 Full Day WebRox - Create your own Website Everything's about the web these days, and that's why Web Rocks! Code with all the base web technologies like HTML/CSS and Javascript and get an actual live website going! The camp is perfect for newbies and novice young coders. Ages 7-10 Ages 7-10 $475 $375
7/8-7/12 Full Day Unity Part 1: Unity 2D Platform Game Design Go from game player to game creator with Unity, a powerful industry-standard game design engine. Games bring friends together, and Unity bridges the fields of art, code, and design all to one central location. You’ll connect game elements from level platforms to customizing your own Battle Royale levels like the ones you’d find in Fortnite, Apex Legends, or Fall Guys. Using built-in visual code, you'll add rules and structure, showing players how to interact with your creation. With Unity, you'll learn to design incredible experiences for players, and join a community of millions of developers! Ages 11-14 Ages 11-14 $525 $425
7/15-7/19 Full Day Roblox Part 1: Launch Your Own Obby Game Get your imagination flowing with Roblox Studio, an immersive game engine that can be played on the web, mobile, or even in virtual reality! You'll learn the fundamentals of game design and build your very own obstacle course, complete with fire-spawning platforms and speed boosts that’ll put your name on the top of the leaderboard. And with Roblox’s toolbox and a dash of creativity, you’ll sculpt mountains and design custom art for your avatar to wear in-game. Ages 7-10 Ages 7-10 $475 $375
7/15-7/19 Full Day Unity Part 2: Unity Virtualty Reality Game Design The best game makers are the ones who play them. Step directly into your game with virtual reality and the Meta Quest 2—an all-in-one wireless VR system. You’ll pair it with Unity, an industry-standard game engine, to learn the basics of coding and create your own interactive experience. Bring awesome worlds to life that you can see, hear, and lose yourself in through the immersion of 360 audio and video. Your Meta Quest 2 and all of your models, designs, and levels will go home with you so you can continue building an immersive, imaginative virtual realm. Ages 11-14 Ages 11-14 $525 $425
7/22-7/26 Full Day Roblox Part 2: Virtual Reality, Launch Your Own Obby Game in VR Experience Roblox with Virtual Reality (VR) by building your obstacle course with fire-spawning platforms and speed boosts that'll put your name on the top of the leaderboard, all in VR. Bring your Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, or Meta Quest Pro VR Headset. Have fun coding and playing with fellow campers. Kids will demonstrate their Roblox VR game to parents on the last day of camp. Ages 7-10 Ages 7-10 $475 $375
7/22-7/26 Full Day Python Part 3: Python for Artificial Intelligence In our technologically evolved culture, terms like artificial intelligence and machine learning are all the rage. Imagine if your computer could distinguish between cats and dogs, turn pictures of horses into zebras, and beat the world champion in chess. By utilizing applications like Python and TensorFlow, which allow computers to replicate brain function, you can make your ideas from yesterday a reality today. Build machine learning models using Python in this camp to perform imaginable tasks. Ages 11-14 Ages 11-14 $525 $425

Our Testimonials

  • "My son absolutely loves this coding school! The coaches are fabulous!"
    Lisa A.
  • "My son loves to go here. He looks forward to it all week. They have great communication and make sure the kids are really engaged ."
    Kaylon P.
  • "What you have brought [here] is simply amazing! Your coaches are fantastic and I couldn't ask for a better learning environment for my son to do his thing and expand his knowledge!"
    Bonnie D.
  • "Excellent staff, reasonable prices, and most important they make it fun for kids to learn coding. My son is always excited to go back and work on his game."
    Mathew J.
  • "We love theCoderSchool! My 9 year old son started 1:1 lessons there 6 months ago (he is shy, so I thought 1:1 would be good for him to start with that). He LOVES it!"
    Allison D.
  • "I was unsure at first but every time my daughter finishes a class she is excited and happy and looks forward to it every week! Nothing better than incorporating fun with education!"
    Sabari P.
  • "My daughter has been going to The Coder School for over five years and absolutely loves it!"
    Nathan W.
  • "Staff is great. They have managed to turn my son's technology obsession into a creative (instead of just observing you tube videos) outlet. Now instead of just watching videos or playing games...he is creating his games."
    Russell H.

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Apps We Build

Each year, theCoderSchool partners with the Congressional App Challenge, a nationwide coding contest run by districts of the U.S. Congress. Some of our students have won this prestigious prize, met their U.S. Congressperson, and even flown to DC for the winners event. Take a look at some recent CAC winners from theCoderSchool, or browse through our Live App Gallery to see custom apps our students are building!

School Info

theCoderSchool Logo
1730 S Dale Mabry Hwy
In Carriage Trade Plaza
(813)422-5566
southtampa@thecoderschool.com
Monday: 3:00 – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 3:00 – 8:00 PM
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 3:00 – 8:00 PM
Friday: 3:00 – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

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Meet Our Owner

Lesly Ramirez

Hi, my name is Lesly Ramirez-Olavarria. I'm a proud mom of 5, and I am the Owner of theCoderSchools in the Tampa Area! I was born and raised in Peru until the age of 12 and lived in New York until three years ago. We have made Tampa our home, and we could not be any happier to be bringing you Silicon Valley's #1 Coding School.

I was introduced to coding early in my IT career by my now loving husband. I went from being a passive participant in the digital world to an active player in the field of technology, and I loved every minute of it!

We are so excited to be part of the tech-education movement that teaches kids to code in a fun and exciting way. If you'd like to learn more about what we do or how you can get started, feel free to reach me at lesly@thecoderschool.com with any questions.

Meet the Owner and Senior Advisor

Mike Olavarria

Hi, my name is Michael Olavarria. I'm a proud father and a Senior Advisor for The Coder School New Tampa and South Tampa! Full disclosure: I am a geek. I love computers. I love everything about them. I spend hours coding, debugging, and discussing coding practices with other coders. When I am not coding, I teach coding and write about computers as part of my professional career.

My passion grows as I see students who learn to program early in life gain a deeper and more complete understanding of the logic and advanced thinking behind coding. Like learning a language early in life, learning and practicing this type of thinking early in development influences a child's brain as it is still developing. This is why early learners have experienced such boundless success in this field (think Gates, Zuckerberg, Jobs,…the list goes on and on). If you'd like to learn more about what we do or how you can get started, feel free to reach me at molavarria@thecoderschool.com with any questions.

We're always looking for great Code Coaches. Shoot us an email with resumé to see if we're a fit!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can coding help kids?

Many folks might think learning to code is so kids can actually code an app. Honestly, that's not usually the case! Coding real-life apps is tough. Despite what the media says, your kid is not writing some million dollar app by themselves in a month. Instead, coding helps kid *solve problems*. Coding is all about debugging and logically thinking through the fix. Breaking a large problem into smaller parts, logical sequencing, these are all important problem solving skills for any kid (or adult!). A second benefit is confidence and passion in technology. There's plenty of time for kids to learn the latest real tech (which changes all the time), but the time to build passion for technology (and a foundational knowledge base) is when they're young!

What is the best coding language to learn as a beginner?

The truth is, Scratch is amazing for a beginner at ANY AGE. If someone is truly a beginner, a platform like Scratch can allow them to create and engage much more quickly. Older kids (say 11 and up) can soon move to a language like Python or Javascript. Just remember that it takes a LOT MORE work to get Python/Javascript to do the same thing as Scratch - so the kids will need some patience. No matter what anyone tells you please DO NOT start learning with Java or C++! Those languages are too advanced to start with, and we've seen it too often - kids will give up because it's so hard! Definition of backfiring!

What is the best age to start coding?

It depends - we think the best age is the age they want to do it! Listen, there's plenty of time to *really* learn to code - there's a reason Comp Sci is a really tough college degree. The important thing in the younger years is to bring out the desire and passion to learn more - that's why at theCoderSchool we customize our projects based on the student's interests and really focus on engagement before learning.

How do I get accepted into a college computer science program?

These days, top colleges are incredibly selective. Learning to code by itself probably won't help you stand out enough. Instead, consider building a unique Coder Story. Can we help? Sure can!

What are the benefits of kids learning to code?

Children of all ages can benefit from learning coding skills, and students who get hands-on experience with computer programming go on to excel in other subjects Coding helps students gain computer proficiency and build real-world problem-solving skills. Exploring technology is essential for computer literacy. Building fundamental coding skills encourages creativity, promotes teamwork, and enhances spatial intelligence and logical thinking skills. Kids of all ages can learn computer science. For teenagers, learning how to code leads to the development of transferable skills that can be applied in future careers or workplaces. If your student is interested in data science or machine learning, a self-paced course in computer programming can help pave their path.

As you and your family consider coding programs, it helps to keep in mind:

  • The age of the student (we can teach kids as young as six)
  • Their individual interests (such as Lego, Roblox, robotics, video game design, or artificial intelligence)
  • Any previous hands-on experience with coding (even exposure to mobile apps or playing with Minecraft counts)
  • Preferred learning style (we offer both flexible and structured curricula and support self-paced learning)
  • Social skills (some students learn best in one-on-one lessons, while others favor teamwork)

    Whether the student wants to explore Minecraft modding in Minecraft camp, is interested in HTML, or wants to learn block-based coding like CSS, our interactive classes provide a great coding experience.

    Can a 6 year old do coding?

    Sure! Kids this young are just developing their sense of logic. While some advanced 6 year olds are ready to dive into learning Scratch, many are better off with fun learning apps like Kodable or Scratch Jr..

    How do kids learn to code?

    Same way adults do! The best way to learn something is to just DO it. It's not about all the theory and fancy words, it's about just doing it over and over again. If you're a parent with a college degree, think back. How much of that theoretical curriculum did you really use in your job? Or did you really learn your job by DOING your job? It's the same with kids, we'll mentor and guide them, but most importantly, we'll get them to code something custom that they want to code!

    Where is the best place to learn coding for kids?

    We're a little bit biased, but we think it's theCoderSchool! There's no better way to learn anything, including coding, than just doing it with a mentor to guide you. Online or in person, our Code Coaches will give you that low-ratio full attention that every kid deserves!
    • Read about Private+Semi-Private Coaching, Virtual Learning, Coding Classes, Robotics, Python, Scratch, or Video Game Coding
    or check out our general blog or our student blogs

    What is theCoderSchool? We are an after-school drop-off (and virtual) program for kids learning to code - a coding school! There's after-school kung fu. There's after-school music lessons, sports, art, tutoring, Chinese, you name it, it's out there. But coding classes for kids? Founded in 2013, we're the first of many, and the largest in Silicon Valley with more locations on the way around the country. The future will be ever more dependent on technology so let's get our young generation ready. Learn to Code, Change the World®.

    Got a question? Email us at southtampa@thecoderschool.com!

    copyright 2014-2022, the Coder School San Francisco, LLC. All Rights, Alright? Don't forget our privacy policy. Find out who we are or like us on facebook.