Pathfinders Summer Institute Summer 2025
July 21 – July 25, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET
40 hours of online professional development
100% FREE for US public or charter educators and librarians
Apply Today!Welcome to a 5-day (40-hour) professional development course designed to equip K–12 educators (Grades 2–12) with the skills to integrate coding, digital storytelling, and responsible AI use into their classrooms.
What You’ll Experience:
Project-Based Learning:
Learn key coding concepts—functions, variables, branching, and
Boolean logic—while creating animations, interactive stories,
quizzes, and escape room games.
Cross-Curricular Integration:
Blend creative coding with subjects like ELA, Science, and
Social Studies to design engaging, interdisciplinary projects.
Collaborative Educator Community:
Work with fellow teachers to customize lessons for your students
while gaining insights from expert-led panels on AI in
education, digital literacy, and inclusive learning.
Classroom-Ready Resources:
Walk away with custom lesson plans and immediately applicable
projects to engage your students. Plus get a free upgrade
to our Educator Plan!
No prior coding experience required! Transform how you bring technology, storytelling, and creativity into your classroom.
Eligibility & Registration
Who Can Apply
Open to U.S. public school teachers (including charter school
teachers), public librarians, and district tech specialists
Costs
Entirely
FREE
thanks to funding from Infosys Foundation USA.
Note: Each educator can only register for ONE 2025
Pathfinders summer course for free.
How to Apply
Create a free account in the Pathfinders Online Portal.
https://pathfinders.onwingspan.com
Register for course
Creative Coding & Storytelling
by completing the google form.
Deadline
Submit by
May 31st, 2025
Apply Now
Course Overview
Course Dates
Dates:
July 21 - July 25
Time:
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET
Pre-requisites:
No prerequisites. No coding experience needed. All skill levels
are welcome!
Grades:
Geared towards 2nd to 12th grade educators and librarians.
Format:
This course is a 40-hour (35 synchronous and 5-hour
asynchronous) course.
Live Zoom sessions with hands on projects and panel
discussions.
Note:
Video make-up will be made available if a time does not work
for you.
Community Slack space for educators to discuss, share, and
further interact with each other.
Optional live-streamed showcase at the end of the course
highlighting projects and lessons.
Course Schedule
July 21st
Foundations in Digital Storytelling
Your Story, Your Code: One Pager About Me
Create a one-page interactive story using a character, speech bubble, and voiceover. This project introduces Elementari’s basic tools while allowing you to share a personal narrative.
Animate & Captivate: Bringing Stories to Life
Graphic Novel Create Your Own Journey
Panel Discussion - Educating Gen Alpha
July 22nd
Coding Explorations – Variables & Interactive Projects
Who Are You, Really? Building a Personality Quiz
Open-Ended Storytelling: Fill in the Blanks
From Page to Code: Animating Shark Lady
Interactive Story Logic: Boolean Events & Branching Paths
Fast Facts: Scoring & Quiz Show Logic
Panel Discussion - Amplifying Underrepresented Voices in CS
July 23rd
AI & Cross-Curricular Integration
Designing with AI: Curriculum Booster
Coding for a Cause: Sustainability & Societal Solutions
Voice-Activated Adventures
Windows & Mirrors: Celebrating Diverse Narratives
Panel Discussion - Empowering Teachers and Students with AI
July 24th
Puzzle‑Based Learning & Escape Rooms
DigCit Global Impactor: Using Tech for Good
Crack the Code: Build Your Interactive Puzzle Game
Panel Discussion - Learning Diversity to Support All Learners
July 25th
Capstone Creation & Lesson Design
Capstone Creation: Building Your Cross-Curricular Coding Lesson
Panel Discussion - Building Coding Confidence with Maker Mindset
Speakers
Nicole Li
Co-founder of Elementari, MIT alum, teacher
Paige Besthoff
CSTA award-winning CS educator with 25+ years of experience
Dr. Mary Payton
STEM Educator with 30+ years of experience, Author, Speaker
Louana Prunty
Middle School Social Studies Teacher, 14 years in classroom
Coach Victor Hicks
Founder, CEO and Lead Instructor-Coding with Culture
Rachelle Dené Poth
Spanish & STEAM Teacher, Consultant, Attorney, 25+ years in classroom
Michael Drezek
District Technology Integrator, Lake Shore CSD
Deann Poleon
District Technology Integrator, Lake Shore CSD
More Speakers
TBA
About Infosys Foundation USA
Infosys Foundation USA, committed to expanding access to computer science and maker education in K-12 public schools across the U.S., offers k-12 public school teachers across the US the ability to apply for their Pathfinders Institute twice each year. Special consideration will be given to teachers from high-needs schools and under-represented communities, those new to teaching CS and maker education, and to districts that demonstrate a commitment to sending multiple teachers to Pathfinders.
Please share this with any US-based public or charter school teachers and librarians that you think may be interested. We hope you will be able to join us!
Register NowApplications due by: May 31st, 2025