When you meet Amarillo Ramirez, one thing becomes immediately clear: he’s passionate about creating, whether that’s through robotics, coding, or his artwork. Amarillo has been teaching with CodeWizardsHQ for just over a year, and in that time he has inspired students across elementary, middle, and high school classes with his enthusiasm and creativity.
From Robotics to Coding
Amarillo’s journey into technology began with his high school robotics team. His brothers and dad joined first, and it quickly became a shared adventure. Traveling to competitions, seeing other teams’ impressive robots, and working hands-on with mechanical and electrical systems lit the spark for him.
“Getting to see all the other teams’ robots and just how huge and complicated they could be was amazing,” he remembered. “At that point I was just like, ‘Oh, this is something that I’m also kind of interested in.'”
Over time, Amarillo discovered that while he loved every aspect of robotics, coding held a special place. “When it comes to the detail and the nitty-gritty stuff, I grasp coding concepts a lot easier,” he explained. He became fascinated not just with robotics programming but also with retro video game coding, diving deep into how developers worked wonders with limited hardware on systems like the Game Boy and Atari. “I get super into that stuff,” he said.
Education and Professional Path
Born and raised in New Mexico, Amarillo pursued his interest all the way to Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in robotics engineering. Thanks to dual-credit classes in high school, he graduated early and gained valuable experience along the way.
He interned with a company that later hired him as a software developer. While he enjoyed the supportive environment, he realized he wanted something more fulfilling. He thought back to the joy he found in mentoring younger students during his robotics days. Teaching coding felt like the perfect fit.
“When I was in my high school robotics team, they really encouraged us to mentor elementary and middle school Lego robotics teams,” Amarillo recalled. “I mentored three different teams on my own and helped several others with their projects. That planted the seed for me. I realized I actually really enjoy teaching these concepts to younger kids.”
Teaching at CodeWizardsHQ
At CodeWizardsHQ, Amarillo teaches a wide range of classes: Scratch, Python, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, as well as high school-level courses with APIs and Flask. While he enjoys teaching all age groups, his favorites are Scratch and web development courses. His love for the arts shines through here. He’s an artist himself, and he loves helping students express their creativity in code.
“I really like the Scratch courses because students get so creative with their projects. You can tell they’re having fun, and that makes teaching incredibly rewarding,” he said.
Amarillo especially appreciates working with elementary students. “They aren’t really self-conscious,” he explained. “They just say what they feel, and they’re excited to share. That openness makes it easier to keep momentum in class, and it encourages creativity.”
Memorable Student Moments
One of Amarillo’s favorite parts of teaching is watching students surprise themselves with what they can create. “My memorable moments are when students kind of go above and beyond,” he said. “You can tell when they’re really having fun with their projects, when they’re not just doing the assignment but taking it further to make it their own. That’s when you see their passion come alive.”
He shared that Scratch projects, in particular, often bring out this creativity. Students will add original art, animations, or extra features that weren’t part of the instructions simply because they’re excited about the possibilities. “Those are the classes I really enjoy,” Amarillo said. “When students are enjoying themselves, that energy spreads and makes the whole class better.”
A Teacher Who Learns Too
Teaching has given Amarillo new skills as well. He’s learned the importance of finding different ways to explain the same concept so every student can connect with it. “Sometimes the way I explain something doesn’t quite work for a student, and that’s okay,” he said. “Finding different ways to describe a concept until it clicks is really important. Everyone learns differently.”
His advice for parents considering coding education is simple but powerful: start early. “Even if it’s just the basics—loops, if-else statements, or simple projects—getting kids started when they’re young makes such a difference later,” Amarillo shared. “Scratch is a great way to get kids interested, and Lego robotics can also build that foundation. Anything that sparks curiosity early on will pay off later.”
Beyond the Classroom
Outside of teaching, Amarillo is just as creative. He’s an artist who enjoys drawing character designs, streaming with a virtual avatar he created himself, and participating in online art communities. Pokémon fan art, anthropomorphic character design, and creative projects tied to his hobbies all find their way into his sketchbook. “Recently I’ve gotten into more anthropomorphic character design, and it’s been a lot of fun,” he said. One day, he hopes to bring his work to artist alleys or local markets.
He also loves playing video games, tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons (where he serves as Dungeon Master for a Hogwarts-themed campaign), and spending time with friends. His cat, Honey, and his parents’ spirited Chihuahua, Taz, round out his busy and creative life.
Inspiring the Next Generation
From robotics competitions to online classrooms, Amarillo’s path has always been about building and sharing. Today, his students benefit from that journey as he encourages them to experiment, create, and discover their own love of coding.
Amarillo’s story is a great reminder of how diverse experiences in engineering, art, and teaching can come together to make an extraordinary impact. His students see not just a coding instructor but a mentor who believes in their creativity and encourages them to go above and beyond.
