From Kansas City to St. Louis—Teaching CS from AP to AI

The CodeHS van made its way through Kansas and Missouri—crisscrossing between the two borders to connect with teachers and students bringing computer science to life in their classrooms. From deep conversations on AI to helping students launch portfolios and preview upcoming tools, these visits were packed with energy and curiosity.

Stop 1: Olathe South High School (Olathe, KS)

We kicked things off just outside of Kansas City at Olathe South High School with teacher Kristin Higgins. Kristin recently transitioned from working in industry to teaching both Intro to Python and AP Computer Science Principles courses. During our visit, her students were diving into Karel challenges. Many were eager to explore CS after high school, and we had great conversations about college and career paths.

Stop 2: Smithville High School (Smithville, MO)

Next up was Smithville High School in Missouri, where we spent two days with teacher Destiny Marsh. We visited her Intro to Python and AP classes and introduced students to CodeHS.me. This was a hit for both Destiny and her students and she’s now planning to assign portfolio projects using the platform. Some students sparked conversations around AI and the future of tech which was a great way to end the visit.

Stop 3: Bishop Miege High School (Roeland Park, KS)

In Roeland Park, we stopped by Bishop Miege High School to meet with Lori Voss and her class. They’ve been learning JavaScript and were excited to explore more with CodeHS. We helped them get started on the platform and introduced them to our AI tools. This was a great visit, and it was exciting to see students' first impressions as they explored the site.

Stop 4: Warrensburg High School (Warrensburg, MO)

We made our way to central Missouri which brought us to Warrensburg High School, where Luke Litterel teaches a wide variety of classes—from Personal Finance to Microsoft Applications to Web Design and AP CS. His students hadn’t used CodeHS before, so we spent the day helping them get set up and explore what’s possible. His students had a strong interest in CS and a clear enthusiasm to learn something new.

Stop 5: Blue Valley West High School (Overland Park, KS)

Back near Kansas City, we visited Blue Valley West and met with Carol Birnbaum and her four classes—Intro to CS and AP CSP. Right away, we could tell this was a well-established and passionate CS program. The students were engaged, asked great questions, and many shared plans to continue studying CS after graduation. We also previewed some upcoming tools like Bool.com, and the response was electric—they couldn’t wait to bring their ideas to life.

Stop 6: North Technical High School (Florissant, MO)

We made our way over to St. Louis at North Technical High School, a tech-focused school where students from across the region gather to level up their skills. Jean Robison welcomed us into her classroom for a full day of visits. Students explored CodeHS at their own pace—and everyone found something to spark their interest in computer science.

Stop 7: Jennings Senior High School (Jennings, MO)

Our final stop in Missouri was at Jennings Senior High School, just outside of St. Louis. We met teacher LaVonda Felton and visited a couple of her Web Design classes. Another teacher from the school joined us to sit in on the presentations, and we spent time introducing students to Bool.com. LaVonda was thrilled to be part of the road trip, and we wrapped up the visit with a group photo in front of the van.

From portfolio launches to AI deep dives, this week in Kansas and Missouri showed the growing momentum of computer science education in classrooms across the Midwest. Teachers are finding creative ways to introduce students to new tools, and students are dreaming big about their futures. The CodeHS van is continuing its journey through the Midwest—excited to support more classrooms, connect with more educators, and help students everywhere unlock their CS potential.

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