Tech Futures: How New Orleans youth are coding their way forward

Every young person deserves the chance to unlock their potential and shape their own future. That’s the spirit behind Voices of I Am New Orleans, a new audio series amplifying youth leadership and perspective. Produced in partnership with Be Loud Studios, the series highlights W.K. Kellogg Foundation grantees and the young people they work alongside to build stronger, more equitable communities.

In Episode 2, “We Are the Next Generation of Programmers,” listeners meet Helen and Alasia, two high school juniors shaping their future careers through Operation Spark, a New Orleans-based nonprofit bringing coding education, mentorship and high-wage career pathways to young people across Louisiana.

Helen first got curious about coding after their uncle joined Operation Spark. Now, they see it as a space for creativity, focus and joy.

“I have a busy schedule, but Operation Spark has been a kind of escape,” said Helen. “It doesn’t feel like a class–it feels like guided learning. Like something we’re doing, and the teachers are just there as a resource.”

For Alasia, inspiration came from her mom—another Operation Spark graduate. Once set on becoming an architect, she’s now set on game design and hopes to one day build open-source games that create safe, welcoming spaces for kids like her little sister.

Both teens are part of a growing network of more than 900 students statewide who are learning to build software, design apps, animate stories and create video games—often starting with zero prior experience. Through Operation Spark’s semester-based program in software development, students can advance from beginner to professional-level skills before graduating high school.

They’re guided by alumni like Akin Pounds, now a full-time software engineer and instructor, who once sat where Helen and Alasia are today.

Why It Matters

Only one in three Louisiana high schools offered computer science during the 2022–2023 school year, yet the state’s tech industry is expected to grow by 18% through 2032. Programs like Operation Spark are bridging that gap—making software development accessible in schools, training and coaching 24 teachers across the state (including six in New Orleans), and partnering with networks like Collegiate Academies to bring this opportunity to every high school student in the city. Operation Spark isn’t just teaching code—they’re opening doors to real careers, creative expression and economic mobility.

Hear the full conversation at iamneworleansvoices.com/listen, and learn more about how Operation Spark is empowering the next generation of innovators at operationspark.org.