Black Boys Code Waterloo - Python Unlocked

Join us for an exciting workshop designed just for boys aged 8-17! Whether they’re brand new to coding or eager to level up their skills.

Workshop Overview Building on the skills developed in September and October, students will take another exciting step in their technology journey, moving from building websites and exploring datasets to designing engaging webpages and transforming data into meaningful visual stories.

Beginner students will bring their personal websites to life using CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to introduce colours, fonts, backgrounds, borders, and spacing. Advanced students will explore data visualization and storytelling, using Python, Google Colab, and charts to identify patterns, communicate findings, and support their real-world AI project ideas.

Students will also explore how thoughtful design and responsible data presentation influence the way people understand information. Beginners will focus on creating attractive, readable websites, while advanced learners will discover how to present evidence clearly and avoid misleading data visualizations.

Whether returning from previous workshops or joining us for the first time, students will have the opportunity to code, design, visualize, analyze, and create.

Beginner Track - CSS Styling Basics

Beginner students will take their personal websites beyond basic HTML and discover how CSS transforms a simple webpage into an attractive, personalized website.

Using HTML, CSS, and EduBlocks, students will style headings, paragraphs, backgrounds, and sections while exploring colours, fonts, borders, and spacing. They will learn how CSS selectors, properties, and values work together to control webpage appearance.

Through hands-on activities, students will choose personal design themes, improve readability, and identify and fix common CSS errors.

Beginner Track Learning Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, students will be able to: Understand how CSS works with HTML using selectors, properties, and values. Apply colours, fonts, backgrounds, borders, and spacing to style webpages. Create a consistent, personalized design theme that improves readability. Test, identify, and fix common CSS errors while explaining their design choices. Every student will leave with a more visually appealing version of their personal website, preparing them for future workshops on webpage layout and design.

Advanced Track - Data Visualization & Storytelling

Advanced students will move from exploring datasets to discovering how data visualization helps communicate patterns, evidence, and real-world insights.

Using Python, Google Colab, and Matplotlib, students will transform datasets into charts, including bar charts, line charts, and scatter plots. They will learn how to select appropriate charts, add clear titles and labels, and interpret meaningful patterns.

Students will also use the Claim + Evidence + Context approach to communicate their findings, identify misleading…