Zee Thomas brings a blend of technical skill, creative energy, and genuine encouragement to her work at CodeWizardsHQ. She is the kind of instructor who loves seeing ideas come to life and finds real joy in helping others build confidence through coding. With a background rooted in curiosity, creativity, and persistence, Zee approaches teaching as both a craft and a conversation, one where learning feels approachable, engaging, and genuinely fun.
Zee’s own coding journey began later than many students start today, which gives her a unique perspective. She remembers what it feels like to be new, to step into unfamiliar territory, and to decide to keep going anyway. That experience shapes how she connects with students and how she shows up in the classroom.
A First Spark
Before coding became part of her life, Zee loved writing and creating stories. She spent time on a website that animated characters and let users make choices that shaped the story. What stood out to her was that many of the stories were created by users, not just the company itself. Seeing how those stories were built sparked her curiosity about how it all worked behind the scenes.
“It was so cool that they were able to make these stories come to life,” she said. “I remember thinking, I wonder how you do that.”
She was finishing the summer after her freshman year of high school when the curiosity really clicked. Zee realized there was actual coding behind the scenes. While it reminded her of Scratch in some ways, she especially enjoyed being able to type and build the logic directly.
Her mom, who works in information systems, quickly recognized what was happening. After listening to Zee explain what she was building, she connected the dots.
“She said, ‘Oh, so you like coding?’” Zee recalled. “And I said, ‘Is that what I’m doing?’ And she said, ‘Yeah, you’re coding.’”
Not long after, Zee was signed up for AP Computer Science Principles. It was a big step for someone who was still exploring whether coding was truly her path, but Zee has never been one to do things halfway.
Jumping In, Learning Fast, and Finding Community
AP Computer Science Principles was both challenging and motivating. Zee found herself surrounded by classmates who already had years of experience, some of whom had been coding since elementary school or building computers in their spare time. Instead of backing away, Zee stayed curious and kept learning.
“I remember telling my teacher, ‘I want to learn. I want to be really good. Just give me everything you’ve got,’” she said.
That same teacher invited Zee to help start a Girls Who Code club at the school. Even though Zee was still early in her own learning, she jumped at the chance. She helped at the club fair, encouraged other students to join, and discovered that building community around coding mattered just as much as learning the syntax.
“I didn’t know that much yet,” she said, “but I thought it would be fun, and it was.”
Zee continued taking computer science classes throughout high school, including AP Computer Science A. Her academic path was not always straightforward, and at one point she attended a school that did not offer AP computer science courses at all. While that was frustrating, she stayed committed to learning and kept moving forward.
Studying Computer Science With Real-World Focus
Zee chose to pursue computer science in college and graduated last year with a degree in the field. As part of her program, she selected a specialization that allowed her to explore advanced topics aligned with her interests.
“I focused on cybersecurity and software engineering,” she said. “It was a mix of both.”
That combination shows up clearly in how Zee approaches teaching. She cares deeply about helping students understand not just what works, but why it works. For her, coding is about problem-solving, curiosity, and learning how to think through challenges step by step.
Choosing to Teach and Finding CodeWizardsHQ
After graduating, Zee looked for ways to keep coding in her life while doing work that felt meaningful. Teaching quickly rose to the top. She had volunteered teaching coding during high school and later started a Girls Who Code group for middle school students during the COVID years. Helping younger learners discover coding felt personal.
“It really would have passed me by if no one had kind of thrown me in,” she said. “So I like being that person for someone else.”
Zee discovered CodeWizardsHQ while exploring teaching-focused opportunities and decided to apply. Nearly a year later, she still describes her time with the program as flying by.
“It feels like I just started,” she said.
Zee’s Teaching Focus
At CodeWizardsHQ, Zee teaches middle and high school courses across the curriculum. For middle school students, she teaches along the Python track and has guided students all the way through Capstone courses. When asked about her favorite classes to teach, Zee enjoys them all but mentioned one class in particular.
“I really love middle school,” she said. “And I especially love the HTML and CSS courses.”
For Zee, that course brings everything together. Students are excited to move beyond Python and try something new, and she gets to share her passion for web development.
“I love seeing things come to life,” she said. “Web Development just puts all the things I enjoy together.”
Zee describes herself as someone with a creative streak, even if she does not consider herself a graphic artist. She enjoys building, experimenting, and watching ideas turn into something tangible on the screen.
Creating Connection in the Classroom
Some of Zee’s favorite moments as an instructor come from classes where students feel comfortable engaging with one another. She values humor, curiosity, and collaboration, especially in an online setting where connection does not always come easily.
“A lot of it is being online,” she said. “So when a class really enjoys each other and feels like they’re interacting, that’s my favorite.”
Zee also loves watching learning click.
“Seeing those lightbulb moments, when they suddenly get it, is the best,” she said.
And one moment stands out as a sign she knows she is doing her job well.
“When one student asks a question and another student answers it,” she said, “that’s when I know they’re really learning.”
Advice for Parents Considering Coding Classes
For parents who are thinking about coding classes for their child, Zee has simple but powerful advice.
“If you’re even considering it, you’re already on the right track,” she said.
She encourages families to try it, even if it starts with just one class. Coding, she believes, is a skill that complements almost any interest.
“Even if it’s not something they want to do forever, it goes with everything,” she said. “If your kid loves cooking, now they can build a website. If they love something else, coding still fits.”
And once learned, it stays with them.
“It’s a skill no one can take away,” she said.
Life Beyond the Classroom
Outside of CodeWizardsHQ, Zee enjoys slowing down and leaning into creativity. After graduating, she realized she finally had time to explore hobbies purely for fun.
One of her favorites is embroidery, which she jokingly refers to as one of her “old woman hobbies.”
“I started embroidery this year, and I’m really loving it,” she said.
Zee also enjoys reading and gaming. She loves playing Call of Duty, and when she wants something calmer, she likes Stardew Valley. Her reading tastes lean toward fantasy, with a growing interest in science fiction and dystopian novels as she continues to explore new genres.
A Teacher Who Makes Coding Approachable
Zee brings warmth, humor, and thoughtfulness to every class she teaches. Whether she is guiding students through Python fundamentals, helping them build their first web pages, or celebrating a hard-earned breakthrough, she has a talent for making coding feel accessible and exciting.
By meeting students where they are and encouraging them to keep going, Zee helps turn curiosity into confidence and learning into something students genuinely look forward to.
