Shelby Hood, a dedicated mother of two in rural Lemoore, California, is embracing the opportunity to enhance computer science education for her family and community. With a passion for empowering her children to explore their creative interests through a tech lens, Shelby is embarking on a journey to cultivate essential computational thinking skills that will serve them well in our increasingly digital world. Read Shelby’s spotlight to learn more about how she’s helping her kids learn CS and to hear her advice for other parents interested in bringing equitable CS education to their schools.

What do you see as the value of computer science for all students?

Computer science helps kids learn creative and critical thinking skills, it offers job security for people of all backgrounds, and it gives them an opportunity to network. It's one of the most in demand fields in our country. Yet, we're not educating our children on the benefits of it or the basics of it in the classroom. There's so many benefits to knowing CS, and I hope to see it emphasized more in our school curriculums across California.

When were you first introduced to computer science?

I was first introduced to CS when I started learning about social media algorithms and realized they were just computer science. In college, I learned about different accounting software like QuickBooks, but that was about the extent of my knowledge until more recently. Now, my son is really interested in learning computer science and that’s what has driven my passion for making CS more accessible for all students.

What obstacles, if any, did you and your kids encounter when you first started your CS journey? How did you overcome them?

One of the many obstacles I've encountered being in a central, rural area of California is that we just don't have any resources for kids interested in CS, let alone for kids like my son who are interested and happen to be on the autism spectrum. He's been diagnosed since he was three, and he's very high functioning. He looks like you and I, and he loves everything about computers. One of the main obstacles we've encountered is finding things for him as an adolescent, middle schooler here in the Central Valley, particularly programs that will cater to his specific needs and interests.

He’s fascinated by programming and likes 3D design, but there's no programs offered at the school here on those subjects. There's nothing. He’s also part of the Central Valley Regional Center, but they also haven’t been able to provide any resources or opportunities for him in CS. It wasn’t until I reached out to a science teacher, Mrs. Orosco, at his school that we were finally able to find some program options that fit his interests and needs.

What resources or people have been particularly helpful in finding opportunities in CS for your kids?

I would have to say, my son's seventh grade science teacher. I’d originally reached out to her about finding summer programs for my son that were autism-friendly and fit his interests, and she got back to me with a wealth of information on different programs and resources. It can be a bit crazy learning through advocating for your kids, because you’re scared to talk to the teachers and worried they won’t have time or don’t care, but she was right there with us.

In the end, we opted for a CS education day program called GameGen for my son due to the high costs of any overnight camps. Even with this day program, we are paying around $200 out-of-pocket per week. It’s insanely expensive and I really wish the school offered something for kids.

How are you currently advocating for computer science in California, and specifically for your kids?

My son happened to be featured in the Seasons of CS video CSforCA put together. Through that opportunity, I was introduced to the parent engagement work that CSforCA is doing with UCLA’s Center X and that definitely fueled my passion for advocating for CS education more broadly.

While I’ve always advocated for my son, advocating on the level I am today feels different. I was recently invited to be the Secretary for the parent club at my son’s school and my hope is to use this group to connect with other parents and see what their interests are for their kids. It's so small here, and it's so rural. I feel like parents get overlooked too easily. 

Working with CSforCA and UCLA’s Center X on the parent advocacy toolkit has really opened my eyes to what’s possible and what I can do as a parent. Going to board meetings, asking questions about funding and where money is being allocated, and then making sure that you can get it into the right places so your children can get what they deserve.

What advice would you give to a parent who is interested in learning more about CS and computation thinking for their kid(s), but doesn’t know where to start?

Start by asking questions to your local Facebook groups. I started out there just trying to get a better sense of what’s currently available. You may have a similar experience as me and find that there’s not much, or maybe you’ll find a whole host of resources from fellow parents – you never know!

Beyond that, ask the teachers, ask the principals, ask the administrators at school, ask the school district, because you never know what they're going to say. Somebody might know something that somebody else doesn't and that's the most important thing. Just keep asking!