A 3-year journey from first line of code to autonomous drone programming
FutureMakers is not a club. It is a rigorous, standards-aligned academic program built on three years of scaffolded learning. Students who complete all three years graduate with approximately 360 hours of technical instruction—equivalent to several college-level computer science courses.
Foundations of Code & Logic
AI, Machine Learning & Robotics
Drones, Data Science & Entrepreneurship
We don't remediate. We accelerate.
Latino and Black characters, South LA problems, bilingual platform, and stories that matter to our students.
Students build real things every quarter. No multiple choice tests. Portfolio-ready work that shows employers what they can do.
Maps to AP Computer Science Principles. Portfolio-ready by 8th grade. Pathways to AP, dual enrollment, and beyond.
We don't lower the bar. We give students the ladder. Rigorous content + culturally sustaining pedagogy = power.
Powered by representation. Every unit features a CS Hero—a real Latino or Black scientist, engineer, or AI researcher whose work connects directly to what students are learning.
Invented CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA—security tools used by billions daily. Created Duolingo, making language learning free for the world. Professor at Carnegie Mellon.
NASA engineer who led operations for the Curiosity Mars rover. First Latina to lead a NASA mission operations team. Immigrated to the US at 17 with $300 in her pocket.
First Latina astronaut in history. Flew four space shuttle missions. Later became director of Johnson Space Center. Pioneer in optical recognition systems and robotics.
Tied the record for most space shuttle missions (7). MIT physicist who invented the VASIMR plasma rocket engine—a breakthrough propulsion technology for deep space travel.
NASA scientist who co-discovered the Chicxulub impact crater—the asteroid that caused the dinosaur extinction. Uses remote sensing data to study planetary surfaces across the solar system.
Grew up as a migrant farmworker picking crops in California. Applied 11 times to NASA before being accepted. Flew to the International Space Station in 2009. Proof that nothing is impossible.
Her orbital mechanics calculations made the Apollo moon landings possible. A human computer whose precision and courage changed history.
Co-creator of the ISA bus and co-holder of three of IBM's original nine patents. Helped build the first color PC monitor. Shaped the architecture of modern computing.
Programmed the mathematical model of Earth that became the foundation of GPS technology. Her invisible work now guides billions of devices daily.
Founder of the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR). Pioneered research exposing bias in facial recognition and large language models. Fighting for justice in AI.
Founded the Algorithmic Justice League after discovering that facial recognition systems couldn't detect her dark skin. Her TED Talk sparked a global conversation about AI bias.
Led national security space programs for over 30 years. First African American woman to serve as CEO of The Aerospace Corporation. A systems thinker who shaped US space policy.
12 heroes across 3 years of curriculum — with more added every semester.
A clear pathway to success
Students build CS vocabulary, create first portfolio entries, and develop growth mindset around debugging and problem-solving.
Key outcome: Fluency in computational thinking and basic Python. Confidence in facing complex problems.
Curriculum directly aligns to AP CSP standards. Students build AI ethics framework and connect with industry speaker series.
Key outcome: Ready for advanced coursework. Understanding of AI implications. Network with STEM professionals.
A mix of modalities for deeper understanding
Engaging storylines and levels that teach content through play. Fun doesn't mean easy—challenges scale to the student.
Students work in teams, critique each other's code, and learn that best solutions come from diverse perspectives.
Real hardware, real code, real impact. LEGO, Raspberry Pi, drones—students see their code come to life.
Monthly speakers, panel discussions, and Q&A with working engineers, data scientists, and entrepreneurs.