At just 12 years old, James enjoys building and creating, whether that means coding a game, designing a website, or working on something mechanical. Over the past two and a half years, he has steadily developed his skills as a CodeWizardsHQ student, completing eight classes and exploring multiple ways to turn ideas into working projects. What stands out most is not just what James builds, but how intentionally he approaches each new challenge.
From early game design to more advanced work in HTML, CSS, and Python, James has embraced coding as both a creative outlet and a problem-solving tool. He is especially drawn to projects that allow him to personalize his work and make something distinctly his own.
Discovering Coding
James traces his interest in coding back to when he was about eight years old. At the time, he began wondering how the games and digital tools he used every day were actually made.
“I was thinking, who thought of how to make all this stuff? How does it work?” he said. “I just kept going with that thought until I found out about coding.”
That curiosity led him to explore coding more seriously. While an early program did not offer much instruction, it confirmed that this was something he wanted to pursue. His parents began looking for a more structured learning environment where he could truly build skills and continue progressing.
His mom explained that reviews played a major role in their decision to enroll at CodeWizardsHQ. As they searched for a program that would take James’s interest seriously and help him continue learning, feedback from other families helped guide their choice. “The reason we chose CodeWizardsHQ was because of the reviews,” she said.
Beyond the reviews, it was James’s own interest that mattered most. His parents were focused on supporting what he genuinely wanted to explore. “Just because of his interest in it,” she said. “If he said he wanted to do soccer, we would have put him in soccer. But this is what he wanted.”
Building Skills Over Time
Since enrolling, James has steadily moved through the curriculum, building skills and confidence along the way. His family appreciates the clear learning path and the support they receive from instructors and staff.
“We haven’t had any issues,” his mom said. “If James accidentally forgets to submit something or anything happens, we get notified immediately. We’re able to fix it quickly. Everything’s just been smooth.”
What matters most to them is that James continues to grow. “At this point, he’s still learning,” she added. “If we were going this far into it and he wasn’t really moving forward, we probably wouldn’t be moving forward with it.”
For James, the classes have evolved from early Scratch projects into more advanced work with HTML, CSS, and Python. While his parents no longer understand the technical details, they can see how much he is learning.
For James, the appeal of coding comes from the freedom it offers. “Basically, I can just make anything I want,” he said. “Just purely the creative freedom.”
Diving Into Favorite Projects
Over the years, James has created a wide range of projects, many of which he carefully curated into a personal portfolio. He identified three projects that best represent his work so far: a clicker game, a website for “James Lawn Mowing Services,” and his favorite project, Block Dodge Frenzy.
Block Dodge Frenzy is a game James built recently and considers one of his strongest projects. While it began as a straightforward game, he continued refining it until it felt distinctly his own. “It’s very functional and fun,” he said. “Originally it was just a game, and then I kept changing it until it became something no one else would have thought of.”
That ability to personalize projects is something James values deeply. Rather than following a template from start to finish, he enjoys taking a basic concept and reshaping it through experimentation and creative decisions.
James Lawn Mowing Services showcases another side of his skills as a web creator. Built as a website using HTML and CSS, the project highlights his growing interest in design and layout. The clicker game demonstrates his ability to build interactive experiences that are simple on the surface but thoughtfully constructed behind the scenes.
All three projects reflect James’s preference for web-based creation. While he also enjoys Python for functionality, HTML and CSS are where he feels most at home.
“I prefer HTML for looks,” he explained. “If I’m making an app or something functional, I’d use Python. But if I want a web thing, I go with HTML.”
Skills and Interests Taking Shape
When asked which coding skills he enjoys most, James did not hesitate. “CSS is probably my favorite,” he said. “My top three are Python, HTML, and CSS.”
His mom was not surprised by that answer. Long before coding entered the picture, James was already a dedicated artist. “Before coding, that was his thing,” she said. “He can draw like he took professional classes, and he’s never been taught.”
James’s artistic side shows up clearly in his coding work, especially in his layouts, visuals, and attention to detail. It also explains why he gravitates toward projects where creativity and structure overlap.
Looking ahead, James is eager to keep expanding his skill set. He is particularly interested in learning new languages. Beyond games, he has begun thinking about cybersecurity as a possible future direction, inspired in part by a family member who works in that field.
“In the short term, I’d probably make some games,” he said. “Then maybe try to figure out cybersecurity eventually.”
Life Beyond Coding
Coding may be a major part of James’s life, but it is far from the only thing that keeps him busy. He describes himself as someone who likes to build and make things of all kinds.
I like mechanical stuff,” he said. “I enjoy building and making things.”
That interest extends into hardware and electronics. James has begun experimenting with Arduino components, combining coding with physical builds. “You code it,” he explained. “I get components and put together any random fun thing I think of.”
One of his early creations was a button that counts how many times it is pressed, powered by a battery designed to last a very long time. For James, projects like this are about exploration.
He also runs a small YouTube channel where he shares his work in 3D art and animation using Blender. “Mainly it’s just testing my animation skills,” he said. While tutorials are something he hopes to create in the future, for now he focuses on building and sharing what he has made.
Outside of technology, James loves to read. “I’ve read over 100 books,” he said. His favorite genres are fantasy and fiction, with The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia at the top of his list.
He also enjoys drawing, especially robots and mechanical designs, and spends much of his free time creating in one form or another.
At home, James lives with his two sisters and two dogs, Jack and Charlie. While his siblings are not as involved in coding, his youngest sister has shown some interest in Scratch. Recently, James even began teaching her himself. “He started being her teacher,” his mom said. “And we started paying him for it.”
Looking Ahead
James’s path so far reflects a balance of creativity, logic, and curiosity. Whether he is designing a website, building a game, wiring hardware, or sketching mechanical designs, he approaches each project with focus and intention. His love for math, art, and problem-solving all come together in the work he does, and he shows no signs of slowing down.
As he continues learning and creating, James is already building a foundation that blends technical skill with imagination.
His instructor has seen that initiative firsthand:
James is a student who consistently goes above and beyond in class. It’s clear that coding is a passion of his. He’s always looking for ways to push his projects further, often taking what we learn in class and applying it to side projects he works on independently. That level of initiative really sets him apart.
Nathan West, CodeWizardsHQ Instructor
