CodeTeachersEmpowering kids + teens to learn to think, learn to use AI, and become irreplaceable.
10+ year AI & STEAM education brand · 300% platform growth · founder-led. Built around the active flagship — Wellington Builder Camp 2026 — and the age-tiered programs that train the next generation of operator-builders.
Ashley Kays · South Florida Tech Talk · “Technology is NOT a Next-Gen Essential”
Empower kids and teens to learn to think, learn to use AI, and become irreplaceable — now and in the future. Build the next generation of operators, not consumers.
Parents of K-12 kids (primary buyer) · teens (8-18) themselves (program participant) · high-school college-prep families · gifted-program families · families wanting more than screen-time-as-babysitter.
Empowering (kid voice) · trustworthy (parent voice) · forward-thinking · achievement-oriented · joyful. Like the cool tech-savvy aunt who actually shows up to teach.
Real AI skills + portfolio + college-app credentials + confidence. Your kid leaves with a deployed app, a GitHub repo, a pitch deck, and a story to tell.
10+ years (founded 2016) · 300% platform growth · 25% completion lift · South Florida Tech Talk speaker · Orange Observer press · Ashley Kays as Founder (Flatiron + Thinkful founding faculty, 100% NPS).
Reserve your seat → Wellington Builder Camp 2026 (the active flagship). Email-list opt-in: Free "AI for Kids: Parent's Guide" PDF.
The one-liner
CodeTeachers turns kids into builders. Not coders. Not consumers. Founder-grade AI builders who leave camp with a deployed app, a GitHub repo, and the confidence to ship anything.
The hierarchy
- Primary position: The AI-builder camp + programs brand for K-12 + teens.
- Emotional promise: Your kid won't just “use AI.” They'll learn to build with it — and graduate ready for any future job, any college essay, any business they want to start.
- Proof: 10+ years · Wellington Builder Camp 2026 with real takeaways (deployed app, GitHub, pitch deck, LinkedIn skill badge, founder reference letter, college-ready cert).
- Personality: Empowering, achievement-oriented, joyful, trustworthy.
- Expansion lane: Online programs (Explorers/Builders/Creators) · multi-city camps · Earn track (kids build + sell real products) · Guide track (alumni mentor next cohort).
Parents of high-achieving K-12 kids who want their kids to be MAKERS not just users. College-prep families. Gifted-program families. Mompreneurs who want their kid in the building-things ecosystem.
In-person camps (Wellington Builder Camp 2026 = current flagship). Online programs by age tier (Explorers 3-5, Builders 6-8, Creators 9-12). Year-round community + portfolio building.
10-year brand equity in STEAM education · pivot to AI-builder positioning is timely · founder-led by an operator who SHIPS AI products herself · real college-application takeaways · Wellington FL location is a target-rich gifted-program market.
“Technology is NOT a Next-Gen Essential — it's a NOW essential.” The kids who learn to BUILD with AI in 2026 are the operators who lead in 2030. CodeTeachers isn't about screen time. It's about teaching kids the most leveraged skill of their lifetime.
CodeTeachers has two audiences. Parents pay. Kids attend. The brand has to speak to both — without condescending to either.
Parent voice
Trustworthy. Outcomes-focused. Mention safety, screen time, college prep, real-world skills.
Outcome-led. “Your kid leaves with a deployed app + GitHub repo + reference letter.” Specifics > vague promises.
Achievement-anchored. Mention college applications, scholarships, future-readiness. Parents pay for futures.
Mom-to-mom credibility. Ashley is a mom too. The brand voice is warm + been-there, not corporate-EdTech.
Kid / teen voice
Empowering. “You're a builder.” “Adults pay thousands for this skill — you get to do it at camp.”
Future-cool. Real tools (Cursor, Claude Code, Figma, Vercel) — same stack adults use. No watered-down kids' tools.
Achievement-driven. “You shipped an app. You're a founder.” Build identity.
Joyful. Demo-day pitch · pizza · friends · pride photo with parents. The week is a memory, not a class.
- “Your kid ships an app. They don't just learn to code.”
- “Real college-application credentials.”
- “You're a builder. Not a user.”
- “The tools working engineers actually use.”
- “Fun screen-time activities for your child.”
- “Watered-down beginner-friendly version of coding.”
- “Educational entertainment.”
- “Powered by AI™.”
The palette
- · Headlines: Bold + slightly tech (Inter Bold or Geist)
- · Body: Inter — clean, readable for parents
- · Code blocks: ui-monospace — credibility signal for kids
- · Logo: code-bracket angle marks <code> on either side of word
- · Kids at laptops · real concentration, real wins
- · Demo Day moments · pride photos with parents
- · Code on screens (real code, not stock)
- · Diverse · joyful · achievement-anchored
Every CodeTeachers program touches these 4 pillars. Kids choose where to specialize. The Wellington Builder Camp combines all 4 across 5 intensive days.
Create
AI art, music, video, story. Make a character + brand that's theirs.
Design
UX, UI, branding, packaging. Design real products people would buy.
Code
Ship a real website. Kids direct the AI and watch it ship code.
Animate
3D, motion graphics, character animation. Bring designs to life.
5 personas. Parents are the buyer; kids/teens are the participant. Each persona needs a different proof point and a different message.
“"I need real credentials for the college app, not another summer hobby."”
College-ready cert · LinkedIn skill badge · founder reference letter. → Wellington Builder Camp.
“"AI is going to be the most important skill. I want my kid to BUILD with it, not just use it."”
"Real tools adults use: Cursor, Claude Code, Figma." → Wellington Camp or AI Builders program.
“"My kid blew through the free stuff. What's next that's serious?"”
Project-based learning · ship something real. → AI Builders or AI Creators program.
“"I want to build something real. Like an actual app."”
Demo Day · cohort photos · pitch deck · GitHub portfolio. Teens hype-up other teens. → Wellington Camp.
“"I need rigorous tech curriculum I can substitute for traditional CS class."”
8-week online programs · certificate · structured curriculum. → AI Explorers/Builders/Creators online.
“"I run my own thing. I want my kid to know they can too."”
Founder reference letter · pitch-day with real founders. Build identity early. → Wellington Camp.
5 days. 1 deployed app. A founder reference letter signed by Ashley.
Wellington Builder Camp 2026 is the flagship marketing funnel for CodeTeachers right now. Everything else — programs, online cohorts, ecosystem positioning — supports it.
The 5-day arc
Validate a real idea using AI research. End-of-day: 1-page strategy doc.
Clickable Figma prototype + brand identity + production-grade design system.
Full-stack app live on the internet. Cursor + Claude Code, the way working engineers actually build.
Analytics + payment processing + sales funnel + first customer interview.
3-min pitch deck · live Q&A · parents + founders watching · cohort photos · reference letters.
What every camper leaves with
- · Claude · GPT-5 · Perplexity · Notion AI
- · Figma · v0 · Galileo AI · Linear
- · Cursor · Claude Code · Next.js · Supabase · Vercel
- · Stripe · PostHog · Resend · Plausible
- · Pitch · Loom · LinkedIn
- · College-application proof points (cert + reference letter + GitHub + LinkedIn badge)
- · Real tools their kid will use for the next 10 years
- · Cohort effect — kids work alongside peers, build identity
- · 5-day intensive (not a 12-week commitment)
- · Ashley Kays personally signing the reference letter (founder credibility)
Beyond the flagship camp, three age-tiered online programs build the year-round revenue base. Each is 8 weeks · online live · structured curriculum · ends with a demo.
AI Explorers
Discover what AI is and build a first AI project. Curiosity > coding background.
- ·What is AI?
- ·AI art + music
- ·First chatbot
- ·Image recognition
- ·Demo to family
AI Builders
Build AI-powered apps. Start solving real problems with code + AI as copilot.
- ·Python basics
- ·API integrations
- ·Build a working chatbot
- ·Image classifier
- ·Ship to GitHub
AI Creators
Ship a real shipped product. Build the portfolio that gets you into college and into the workforce.
- ·Full-stack app dev
- ·AI agent workflows
- ·Product design + UX
- ·GitHub + portfolio
- ·College-app polish
Camps sell to parents, not kids. The marketing motion targets parents in target ZIP codes (Wellington · PB Gardens · Jupiter · Boca · Palm Beach) with proof-point-heavy ads + lead magnets. This is the 90-day push to fill the camp.
Channel 1 — Parent Facebook Groups
Wellington Moms · Palm Beach County Homeschoolers · PBC Gifted Parents · local school parent groups.
- · 1 founder-introduction post per group
- · Before/after testimonials (with parent permission)
- · Free PDF: "AI for Kids — A Parent\'s Guide" as comment-locked lead magnet
- · Group admin partnerships (some groups allow sponsorships)
Channel 2 — School + Gifted-Program Partnerships
Direct outreach to gifted programs, magnet schools, and homeschool co-ops.
- · Free 60-min “AI for the Next Generation” assembly (school-PR friendly)
- · Co-branded flyer for school newsletters
- · Discount code per partner school (drives attribution)
- · STEAM-program teachers: comp seats for their kids
Channel 3 — Instagram / TikTok (Camp Energy)
60-90 sec videos. Kids shipping. Demo Day moments. "Look what my 12-year-old built this week" content.
- · Real camper-shipping moments (with parent permission)
- · Pre-camp pitch reels: "5 days. 1 app. A founder reference letter."
- · Post-camp parent testimonial reels
- · Ashley voice: "I built this for the kids I wished existed when I was 11."
Channel 4 — Local PR + Press
You already have Orange Observer + South Florida Tech Talk. Build on it.
- · Pitch Palm Beach Post, Wellington Magazine, Boca Magazine
- · Florida Trend education feature
- · South Florida Tech Talk follow-up appearance
- · Local TV: WPTV, WPBF education segments
- · Repurpose the Tech Talk "Technology is NOT a Next-Gen Essential" as the press hook
Channel 5 — Sibling + Referral Incentive
The fastest-converting parent-marketing channel is another parent. Sibling discounts already exist (SIBLING100). Layer referral on top.
- · Sibling discount on second kid (drives multi-kid family bookings)
- · Referral incentive for both the referring family AND the new family
- · Group bookings: 3+ kids from the same group = 15% off each
- · Annual loyalty: families who book 2 years in a row get first-pick on next year's slots
10 pages. Age-appropriate AI tools, safety considerations, what to look for in a program, college-app implications.
Distribution: Bio link · Wellington Camp page · group post lead magnet.
What admissions officers actually want to see from a builder kid. Github · portfolio · pitch deck · reference letter. Show the format.
Distribution: Targets high-achiever parents. High intent.
Live online or in-person workshop. Parents + kids. Build a small AI project together. Demonstrates real instruction quality.
Distribution: Highest conversion to camp registration. Limit to 30 families.
5-question quiz. Age-appropriate. Surfaces the right program (Explorers · Builders · Creators · Wellington Camp).
Distribution: Embeddable widget. Drives email + program-fit signal.
PDF. What kids can learn week-by-week through summer. Mix of CodeTeachers programs + free resources. Builds trust by including non-paid options.
Distribution: May/June drop. Pre-summer urgency.
Quick parent diagnostic. Tactical, helpful, low friction. Soft lead magnet that warms cold parents.
Distribution: Top-of-funnel · Reels caption · blog post pair.
Target Keywords
Google Business Profile
- · Set up GBPs for service-area markers (Wellington · PB Gardens · Jupiter · Boca)
- · 30+ photos: Demo Day, kid-shipping moments, founder + students
- · Services: Wellington Builder Camp · AI Explorers · AI Builders · AI Creators
- · Weekly updates with cohort photos (with permission)
- · Reply to every review within 24 hours
Local landing pages to build
Each page: H1 with city + program, 3 testimonials, sample portfolio work, map embed, CTA. Builds local-SEO surface without diluting the main camp page.
Hi {parent_name}, thanks for grabbing the parent guide! I'm Ashley — I've been teaching kids + adults to build with code since 2016. The guide is attached. Read it tonight after the kids are asleep ☕ — there's a section on page 6 about college-app implications most parents miss.
After 10 years of teaching kids to code, here are the 3 things parents almost always miss: 1) It's not about screen time. 2) The "build" gap is wider than the "use" gap. 3) College-app credentials matter earlier than you think. Quick read inside.
Filmed at last camp: a 7th grader shipping a working calendar app — start to finish, in 4 hours. (4-min video.) This is what your kid is capable of with the right environment + tools.
5 days. 1 deployed app. A GitHub repo. A pitch deck. A LinkedIn skill badge. A founder reference letter signed by me. A printed portfolio book. If you're considering a real summer commitment for your kid — this is it. Founding-rate seats are open.
I'm a mom too. I built this camp for the kids I wished existed when I was 11. If your kid is ready to BUILD instead of just USE — they belong here. Hit reply with any questions. I read every email myself.
Hi {parent_name}! Great question. Honestly the best signal isn't age — it's curiosity. If your kid has asked about AI, ChatGPT, video games, or "how do they make websites?" — they're ready. Wellington Camp is built so even a beginner walks out shipping something real, and an advanced kid walks out with a portfolio piece. Quick clarifying questions: 1) what grade is your kid in, 2) any coding experience, 3) what gets them excited? I'll point you to the right program. — Ashley
"Hi {name} — Ashley here. Thanks for the interest in Wellington Builder Camp. Quick context: it's 5 days, in person in Wellington, for ages roughly 11-17. Every camper leaves with a deployed app, a GitHub portfolio, a pitch deck, a LinkedIn skill badge, a founder reference letter from me, and a printed portfolio book. Founding-rate seats are $X. Do you have a kid you're considering? I'll send the camp details PDF in 5 minutes if useful — or we can chat through if you have specific questions."
"Totally fair. Here's honest math: comparable college-prep summer programs cost thousands. Adult bootcamps for the same tool stack cost five figures. Our camp delivers the same outcome (deployed full-stack app + portfolio + pitch deck) at a fraction of that cost. The real question isn't cost — it's whether your kid leaves with college-application credentials that matter. The reference letter alone is the kind of thing that comes up in admissions decisions."
"Quick note — we have a sibling discount if you sign up siblings together. Most families with multiple kids find both end up wanting to come once one tries it. Want the second-seat reservation link?"
"Hi {principal/teacher_name}, I'm Ashley Kays — founder of CodeTeachers (10+ years teaching kids to build, recently featured on South Florida Tech Talk). I'd love to offer a free 60-min "AI for the Next Generation" assembly for your gifted/STEAM students this fall — no sales pitch, just real demonstration of what high schoolers are building with AI today. Parents tend to love these. Could we find 30 mins this month to discuss?"
"Hi {parent_name}! Hard to believe it's been a year since {kid_name} shipped {their app} at Wellington Camp. Quick question — what are they building now? And — if you're thinking about Camp 2027 — past families get first dibs on slots starting next month. Want me to hold a spot? xo Ashley"
CodeTeachers already has serious press equity. The kit treats existing press as the foundation — each new piece of content extends the authority that's already there.
“Technology is NOT a Next-Gen Essential”
Ashley Kays as featured speaker. The thesis: technology is a NOW essential — the kids who learn to build with AI in 2026 are the operators who lead in 2030.
Reuse: the press hook for every parent-facing pitch.
“Computation Education”
10-year-old foundational press piece. The founding story + Ashley's mission for the brand.
Reuse: founder bio + brand authority anchor.
Ashley Kays · Founder
- · Flatiron / Thinkful / Chegg founding faculty (2020-2022, 100% NPS)
- · Founder of Waymaker AI (multi-product AI platform)
- · Maintainer of CoFounder OSS (NPM-published guardrails SDK)
- · 20+ years Disney · NCR · Wyndham (Fortune-500 tenure)
- · Founder reference letters are personally signed
- · Palm Beach Post (education feature)
- · Wellington Magazine (community-focused)
- · Boca Magazine (high-net-worth parents)
- · Florida Trend (statewide education feature)
- · WPTV / WPBF (local TV education segments)
- · South Florida Tech Talk follow-up appearance
- · EdSurge or EdTech Magazine (national pitches)
Aligned to camp registration windows. Wellington Builder Camp 2026 = the active flagship.
Launch + Foundation
- →Launch lead magnet #1 (AI for Kids Parent Guide) + 5-email nurture
- →Post Wellington Camp announcement in 5 target Facebook groups
- →Pitch 3 schools for free assembly (Wellington elementary + gifted programs)
- →Refresh CodeTeachers landing with Camp + program pillars
- →Set up GBP for service-area markers (Wellington · PB Gardens · Jupiter)
- →Realistic goal: 100 parent email subscribers, 8 camp registrations
- →Stretch: 1 school partnership, 15 camp registrations
Visibility + Authority
- →Pitch Palm Beach Post + Wellington Magazine (1 placement target)
- →Launch free family workshop (60-min in-person OR virtual)
- →Post 4 founder-voice videos (Ashley to camera, 60-90 sec each)
- →Build 2 city landing pages (Wellington + Palm Beach Gardens)
- →Run a small daily Facebook lead-gen ad to the parent guide
- →Realistic goal: 25 camp registrations total · 1 press mention
- →Stretch: 35 registrations · 2 press mentions + 1 TV feature
Fill Camp + Sibling Push
- →Sibling/referral campaign push (text + email + social)
- →Final 30-day "seats remaining" countdown campaign
- →Open registration for AI Explorers/Builders/Creators online programs (Q4 2026)
- →Begin Wellington Builder Camp 2027 waitlist (early-bird interest)
- →Camp delivery + Demo Day (during the actual camp week)
- →Post-camp parent testimonial collection + social proof bank
- →Realistic goal: Camp sells out + 50 online program waitlist signups
- →Stretch: 2nd camp slot opens + recurring online-program revenue by end Q1
CodeTeachers is one node in a four-brand mesh on shared Waymaker infrastructure. Each stage feeds the next. The camp grad becomes the online-program student becomes the side-hustler becomes the alumni mentor.
CodeTeachers
Where it starts. Kids + teens learn to build with AI. Wellington Camp + Explorers/Builders/Creators programs. The entry point.
Waymaker Templates
Alumni graduate to building real businesses. 70+ side-hustle templates. AI Cofounder Cameron supports them.
Waymaker Platform
The grown-up tools. Full product platform: Cameron, Builder DNA, Cohort, Community, Agency white-label.
Coach Marketplace
Alumni become coaches + mentors. The loop closes — yesterday's camper teaches tomorrow's.
Most kids-coding brands stop at “summer camp.” CodeTeachers' thesis is bigger: build the lifelong learner pipeline from age 8 → adult side hustle → grown founder. The kid who ships their first app at Wellington 2026 becomes the founder who deploys 10x their lifetime earnings using Waymaker by 2036. CodeTeachers is the on-ramp. The kit documents the ramp.
“Technology is NOT a Next-Gen Essential. It's a NOW essential.”
— Ashley Kays · South Florida Tech Talk · Founder, CodeTeachers