Penelope Codes to Prepare for a Career in Law!

Featured Maker Penelope is a very well-spoken 11-year-old who lives in Ohio. She really enjoys music, plays the piano, and is working toward her black belt in Tae Kwon Do! She aspires to be a lawyer and knows that coding will aid her as a future attorney-at-law.

Penelope’s mom, Liliana, told us, “She’s always had a sharp mind for things like [coding]. I’m sure that having been on Tynker these past few months has given her a chance to explore.”

Penelope loves social studies – discovering the past, especially all the different people and places around the world, intrigues her. Nothing piques her interest like learning about significant political figures, like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., and their accomplishments.

We sat down with Penelope and Liliana to chat about Penelope’s incredible projects and what her life is like since she began coding on Tynker!

How did you get introduced to coding? Right before winter break, our technology teacher wanted us to get Tynker. I said, “Okay, I like coding,” so I started out coding some random stuff and I really liked it! It’s really fun to learn about different types of code.

How did you learn how to use Tynker when you were first starting out? Actually I wasn’t taught at all! I did preset codings that taught me a little about it, but afterwards I learned on my own. I went on my own creating projects because I knew you could do that. It was interesting to find out how to do it, so I learned more codes and how to use them. After the first project, I knew what to do – I didn’t need help or anything.

How have your coding skills improved since you started using Tynker? They’ve improved a lot as I begin to learn a lot more, like different types of coding blocks. I would see other projects and see how they were made, and then say, “Ohh, I can use that type of idea!”

What is your favorite project you’ve made so far? Space-O Cat! It’s just like a little story of a cat in space – it gets sick, and then it throws up. It’s my featured project!

“Space-O Cat” Check out more of Penelope’s projects here!

How did you feel when you found out your project had been featured? My project was a random thing and it got featured! I thought maybe the reason why it got featured was because I drew really well – I don’t know, it was funny I guess. I like to use the different tools to create different characters!

How do you get inspiration for your projects? I’ll get ideas from other people’s projects, but I never copy! I never copy other people’s ideas because I know that’s not allowed. I will draw inspiration from an idea and make it different! If I find that this person’s project inspires me, then I’ll say, “this project was inspired by this person from this project.”

Why do you like to code? It’s fun and it’s interesting! It teaches you a lot about robotics and even, let’s say, a computer or a bigger piece of technology. You have to code for that. I think it’s really amazing what coding can do.

Do you have a favorite code block? It would probably be the repeat!

What do you do with a project when you’re done with it? I test it out a couple times to see if there is something I can improve. If there is something I can fix, then I do it to make it stand out in the community! I also show a lot of my friends before I publish, it and they laugh because my projects are really random. My best friend and I will use Tynker on our devices and explore for ideas.

“Pusheen Happy Dance”

What are you planning to make next? Since we had to turn in our devices, I think I’ll get the app on my other device, so I can continue making them. I don’t have an idea yet, but I’ll definitely think of one!

What’s your favorite thing you can do in Tynker? My favorite thing is that you can publish it, and everyone around the world can see it. It’s one of my favorite things because you get to share your idea, and it’s best to share your ideas! For example, you don’t make music for no reason – it’s meant to be shared to the world.

How do you think learning to code has prepared you for the future? If I ever need to do something, like if I need to make a piece of technology at a law firm, I will know what to do. It’s going to be different, more intense and mathematical, but I’ll know which ones I’ll need to use.

Do you think other kids should try coding? Yeah, absolutely! It’s a really fun thing to do, and it honestly builds more intelligence. Coding contains a lot of math, which is one of the most important things to know, so I think other people – young ages, old ages – should do coding, because it’s exceptional for knowledge and learning.

What advice would you give to kids starting out with Tynker? Don’t be hard on yourself! Maybe ask people who are using it, too. Or get ideas to start out so you know what to do, instead of going straight in and not knowing. Get ideas from other people of what you want to make first, and as you get to your fifth project, you start getting into more advanced coding.  

Penelope’s mom, Liliana, also touts the importance of coding – she describes it as “the building fabric of everything you see online.” When we asked Liliana if Penelope would be better prepared for the future because of Tynker, she said, “Oh, absolutely! I mean, that’s where we’re headed. You know, for us, we started after our 20s and 30s, so, obviously I’m having a hard time grasping some of the concepts. But for them, it’s innate. It’s there.”

Liliana said she always has to ask Penelope questions about anything technical – including setting up the Skype meeting for our Featured Maker interview! “I like that she uses the device for things that are really useful and teaching her something,” Liliana said.“I think now that she has turned in her iPad to school, we’re going to have to download Tynker so she can use it at home to become more productive and give her something to do over summer.”

At the conclusion of our interview, Penelope added, “One thing I want to say is, Tynker is amazing and has helped me in many ways in knowledge and intelligence, and it’s been really fun doing it. It’s amazing, I just like it so much!”

Penelope encourages and supports others, so you will definitely want her to represent you in the future if you ever need a good lawyer! We look forward to seeing what you will accomplish in the future. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Penelope and Liliana!