Hemmings House was approached by thought leaders, investors, and business owners in the Atlantic Canadian tech industry to produce a film and social impact campaign to help get computer programming, technology, and the arts into early-age classrooms in a holistic way. Watch the film here.
Case Study:
Tech companies in the Atlantic region have often struggled to get access to skilled talent locally. The solution that many in the region have identified, is moving to make the shift to get technology into the classroom at the earliest ages, taking care to ensure that both girls and boys are given equal access to this education.
Through a number of investments from tech executives and a broadcast license from CBC, Hemmings House was able to travel to Finland and Estonia, two countries pioneering this approach. In these countries, tech is integrated into all areas of education — not relegated only to computer class. A series of interviews, and a short film, were brought back to Canada with the hope that this new approach might inspire people across the country to get excited about the future of technology in the classroom.
Through the process of filming, a number of decision makers were inspired by this story, got involved, and helped accelerate the movement to get tech education into classrooms. After a year of filming, Code Kids was released to the nation on CBC to fantastic reviews.
Before long, a nonprofit organization called Brilliant Labs was formed as a direct result of this film. Brilliant Labs works to give resources to schools, teachers, and students who are passionate about technology in the classroom. In the first four years of Brilliant Labs’ existence, over one hundred maker-spaces have been set-up in schools across the Atlantic region.