DEVCON Kids Β· Inspire. Enable. Empower. Β· code.org International Partner

Computer science and AI for every Filipino child

Founded in 2018 as a program of DEVCON Philippines, DEVCON Kids is the country’s largest tech education initiative for children: fun on the outside, serious learning inside, and run by volunteers who pay it forward.

Volunteer to learn and serveSponsor a code camp
Students holding up certificates after a DEVCON Kids Hour of AI session
2025 impact report

A year of hands-on learning

  • 5,609Students reached
  • 184Volunteers mobilized
  • 70Schools engaged
  • 44Code camps delivered
  • 10,000+ students impacted since 2018
  • 10 DEVCON Kids chapters
  • 83 events in 2025
Why it matters

The demand is here. The time to act is now.

Filipino 15-year-olds ranked 77th of 81 countries in science literacy in PISA 2022, and the country placed last of 58 in math and science in TIMSS 2019. The gap is widest in rural and underserved communities.

Our vision: Filipino youth inspired by, enabled, and empowered with computer science, ready for the future.

Our mission: equitable access to foundational computer science, so children build confidence in computing, grow their interest in STEM and STEM careers, and use computing to solve problems.

Students coding on laptops during a DEVCON Kids session
Our programs

Fun on the outside, serious learning inside

K–12 standards-aligned computer science, from blocks to text: Hour of Code and Hour of AI, animation and game dev, micro:bit and mBot robotics, then HTML, CSS, Python, and C++ with Arduino and IoT.

  • Hour of Code and Hour of AI

    A first hour of computer science and AI literacy in public schools, taught by trained teachers and volunteers.

    Hour of AI case study

  • Code camps

    micro:bit Explorers, micro:bit Creative Robotics (Smart Animals, Robotics in Space), and machine learning with image classifiers.

    micro:bit case study

  • Robotics playground

    mBot races and robotics challenges where kids build, test, and compete.

  • Lead Learner workshops

    Teachers and adult volunteers learn to teach CS, in person and online, so learning continues after we leave.

    DEVCON for Educators case study
2026 so far

Strong momentum, especially in Mindanao

Over the past six months we’ve grown our chapter network and facilitator pipeline while running a steady cadence of hands-on events.

Field caravans to underserved areas

The AI Angat Mindanao Caravan brought programming and AI literacy directly to schools in Bukidnon and Iligan: 210 students and 30 teachers.

Read the caravan case study

A maturing facilitator pipeline

The CodeAI International Facilitator Training onboarded about 20 facilitators toward certification, building capacity for future rollouts.

Hackathons, end to end

PromptWars gave students a real build experience, and we demoed hardware and AI projects like KAI, our Jetson-based robot.

An operational backbone

A shared kit and inventory tracker across chapter coordinators made procurement and logistics far smoother.

January to August 2026: 15 events, 990+ learners and educators

  1. JanYMSAT Festival at PSHS60
  2. FebDagupan DOST 1 RSTW Hour of AI80
  3. MarLead Learner Workshop 190
  4. MarChapter Coordinators Summit15
  5. AprDLSU and PSHS35
  6. AprUPRHS mBot Races16
  7. AprDLSU HS BiΓ±an, Laguna30
  8. MayDICT Training Center Managers120 managers
  9. MayFIT CON 202660
  10. MayLead Learner Workshop90
  11. JunPromptWars Vibe Coding Hackathon40
  12. JunTiny Blessings15
  13. JulFULL SCALE Code Camp at Pasig90
  14. JulAHA Sunrise micro:bit Lead Learner Workshop10 teachers
  15. AugDEVCON AI Angat Mindanao Caravan (Hello, Code! Mindanao)210 students, 30 teachers
Where we are

Our growing movement

Ten DEVCON Kids chapters, each launched and run by local volunteers. Here is how 2025 looked on the ground.

2025 reach by chapter
ChapterStudentsVolunteersEventsCode camps
Iligan2,000303115
Iloilo1,97570226
Manila6202083
Pampanga280732
Cebu2461566
Laguna2251244
Davao1452065
Bukidnon1181033
All chapters5,6091848344

Chapter launches

  • Cagayan de OroOct 2019
  • DavaoJul 2022
  • CebuFeb 2023
  • IliganMay 2023
  • ManilaAug 2023
  • IloiloFeb 2024
  • LagunaAug 2024
  • LegazpiAug 2024
  • BukidnonAug 2024
  • PampangaJul 2025
Real impact, real stories

From curiosity to capability

A volunteer teaching students at Bohol CodeQuest
Bohol CodeQuest 2025: 60 Grade 5 and 6 students from Tagbilaran and Mabini.
  • 86%reported more confidence in coding
  • 78%showed interest in STEM careers
  • 92%want to keep learning computer science

Hello, Code! Pangasinan brought 50 Grade 6 students into a four-hour build day, and the second Computer Science Summit trained 43 teachers from 15 Philippine Science High School campuses to teach with the BBC micro:bit.

  • Grade 6 students building projects at Hello, Code! Pangasinan
  • A student holding a micro:bit at Hello, Code! Pangasinan
  • Students and volunteers at a DEVCON Kids Hour of AI session
  • A micro:bit project built by students at Bohol CodeQuest
In action

Hour of AI and our teachers, in the classroom

From the national Hour of AI kickoff to teachers building with micro:bit in Iloilo and Mindanao.

  • The Hour of AI 2025 kickoff at National Science and Technology Week in Laoag
  • Students learning during an Hour of AI session
  • A full hall of students at Hour of AI
  • An Iloilo educator coding a micro:bit in MakeCode
  • Teachers at the Computer Science Summit at PSHS Main Campus
  • Teachers in a Responsible AI 101 session on the Mindanao AI Caravan

Hour of AI case study Β· DEVCON for Educators case study

Featured video

Inspiring the next generation with DEVCON Kids

How DEVCON Kids brings computer science and AI to Filipino children, one school at a time.

Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Hour of AI 2026

Milestones: Hour of AI 2026

Our biggest school season of the year, run by every DEVCON Kids chapter with trained teachers and volunteers.

  • Execution windowsNov 23–26 and Dec 7–18, 2026. Schools pick any date inside these.
  • Free volunteer and teacher trainingNov 14, 21, and 28, open to all teachers and volunteers.
  • Awards nightHour of AI and Chapter Awards Night, Feb 5, 2027.

  1. School contacting

    • Initial outreach sentSep 11–18
    • Follow-up and interest confirmedBy Oct 9
    • Commitments and agreements collectedOct 30
    • Specific-date bookings confirmed (written or MOA)Oct 30

  2. Preparation and training

    • Readiness checkpoint: materials and venueNov 15
    • Logistics arrangedNov 15
    • Internal trainingNov 7
    • Training open to all teachers and volunteersNov 14, 21, 28
    • School readiness check with school officialsNov 15
    • Volunteer readiness check: training and reporting instructionsNov 20

  3. Execution

    • Wave 1 school visitsNov 23–27
    • Wave 1 liquidation and debriefNov 27–28
    • Wave 2 school visitsDec 7–18
    • Wave 2 liquidation and debriefDec 19

  4. Post event

    • Liquidation and report submittedDec 19
    • Impact report completedJan 18, 2027
    • Publish and thank partners weekJan 25, 2027
    • Hour of AI and Chapter Awards NightFeb 5, 2027
Volunteer for Hour of AIBook a date for your school
What’s next

2027: our most ambitious year yet

Five initiatives to scale impact nationwide, plus what’s coming up next.

  • AI Code Camps

    Building on Hour of AI to deepen AI literacy across all chapters.

  • Climate Champions

    Using tech to solve environmental challenges.

  • Hour of AI 2026

    AI literacy for school children: school visits Nov 23–26 and Dec 7–18.

  • Hummingbird Robotics

    Advanced robotics kits for engineering projects.

  • micro:bit Champions

    Enabling teachers to teach and learn with the BBC micro:bit.

Coming up: DEVCON Kids Hour of AI 2026, with school visits Nov 23–26 and Dec 7–18, and the Hour of AI and Chapter Awards Night on Feb 5, 2027.

Every DEVCON Kids activity follows our Child Protection Policy: screened and trained volunteers, age-appropriate supervision, and online safety.

Volunteer-ledOne student. One school. One community at a time.

From 77th place to tech leaders

Volunteer to learn and serve, or sponsor the next code camp in a school that needs it most.

Volunteer with DEVCON KidsSponsor the next one