IDRA NEWS RELEASE

May 21, 2025

At IDRA’s VisionCoders End-of-Year Showcase, eighth grade students will show off the latest and greatest software games they created for their elementary school buddies. IDRA VisionCoders is an eighth grade computer science course only in San Antonio, where middle school students who are in at-risk situations become software designers and create educational games for younger students (their “buddies”). San Antonio ISD’s Hot Wells Middle School and Crockett Academy were part of this innovative program.

Their showcase is on Thursday, May 22, at St. Mary’s University, Moody Life Sciences (MLS) Building, Rooms 101 and 102 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

Today’s fastest-growing careers are tech-driven, from healthcare to telecommunications to aerospace. 
But in large areas of San Antonio, fewer than 1% of adults work in computer-related fields. This rare in-school program offers students who are in at-risk situations to become the next generation of software coders —  in our own public schools.

WHEN/WHERE/WHO/VISUALS: 

A. Thursday, May 22, 2025: IDRA VisionCoders End-of-Year Showcase
? 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. - St. Mary’s University, Moody Life Sciences, Rms. 101 & 102 
? Demonstrations will take place from 10:20 - 11 a.m.
? Parking: Media may park in Lot D, near the Law School. 

B. Visuals:
? 120 students from VisionCoders campuses across San Antonio, presenting the games they've been coding and developing throughout the year. 
? Guest speakers from St. Mary’s University 
? Awards ceremony to honor student achievements 

C. Participating districts:
? San Antonio ISD (Hot Wells MS, Crockett Academy)
? Edgewood ISD (Brentwood STEAM School of Innovation)
? South San Antonio ISD (Shepard MS, Zamora MS)

About IDRA (Intercultural Development Research Association)
IDRA is a national non-profit organization based in San Antonio that, for over 52 years, has advocated educational justice through legal and policy advocacy, research, community engagement, and student and educator leadership development. Our mission is to achieve equal educational opportunity for every child through strong public schools that prepare all students to access and succeed in college.

More on IDRA VisionCoders
San Antonio middle school students who are in at-risk situations are becoming the next generation of software coders through IDRA’s innovative in-school VisionCoders™ program. This field-initiated, research-based program funded by the U.S. Department of Education was piloted in 2022-23 in South San Antonio ISD. The program expanded in 2023-24 to eight schools in Bexar County. IDRA trains teachers and provides assistance throughout the school year. VisionCoders students improve their computational thinking skills, computing identity, and math skills while building educational game prototypes to enhance their elementary school buddy’s math and literacy skills.