Scratch

We went to a gala for Scratch two weeks ago where Fred was honored for his impact on computer science in the education system of NYC by creating CSNYC.   Scratch was built at MIT.  It is a free platform where you can create games, interactive stories, and animations to be shared with the community.  It is the foundation for learning to code, it is the gateway drug for the next generation of computer scientists and much more.

The traction on Scratch over the past decade looks like a hockey stick.  What excited me was seeing that Scratch is a global tool that gets young minds thinking about solving problems through technology.

Millions of people around the globe are using Scratch.  It is used in 150 countries and available in 40 languages. These open community tools also connect us to others making the world a flatter place.  Particularly in times like these where we are seeing this elected US Government cut programs that help others around the globe become educated and healthy.  That money creates stability around the globe with the hope that by supporting education and healthcare in third world countries, each generation will become more economically stable.  I believe those soft costs are important and it is disheartening to see those budgets be made null and void.

Going to the Scratch gala made me feel positive that when the world seems to be going crazy, I see organizations like this that are essentially creating change at a grass roots level.  Those grass root movements are putting the power in the people’s hands and this tool is really about the future because Scratch is mostly a product of the youth.

This letter was sent to Mitch Resnick, the genius behind Scratch, from a ten-year-old.  It really says it all.