Keynotes from CrossRoads 2018

CrossRoads 2018, the Foundation’s fourth annual thought leadership conference, brought together a select group of education researchers, practitioners, non-profit leaders, and policymakers. Below please enjoy videos of our keynote speakers from sessions held on Monday, May 21, Tuesday, May 22, and Thursday, May 24. It was a privilege for the Foundation to bring these speakers to the CrossRoads spotlight and share their thoughts and experiences on computer science and maker education in the US. 

Cynthia Solomon, Seymour Papert Memorial Lecture
Computing pioneer Cynthia Solomon delivered the inaugural Seymour Papert Memorial Lecture at CrossRoads 2018. A close collaborator of Papert, Cynthia spoke of her comprehensive role in bringing computing experiences to children and included co-inventing Logo, the first programming language for children.

Hadi Partovi, Learning to Scale
Getting to scale while not sacrificing quality is a delicate balancing act. Code.org has enjoyed remarkable success in expanding access to, and diversity in, K-12 Computer Science education in five short years. Hadi Partovi, Code.org founder and CEO, reflected on his personal learnings and insights gained along the way. In a frank keynote, Hadi discussed how he built momentum, gained allies, and secured funding, and shared what he might do differently if he had to start over.

Dale Dougherty, Beyond Tools, Beyond Mindset
The Maker Movement has inspired many to go beyond traditional classrooms to seek out practical hands-on learning experiences and creative problem-solving. Dale Dougherty provided answers to the following questions: How can the movement promote a culture of life-long learning to all rather than a select few? How can such a participatory Maker culture thrive?

Sophia Sanchez-Maes, Limitless
Sophia Sanchez-Maes is an inspiring representative of the youth for whom we are all working to bring truly universal CS and Maker education. As a Latina growing up in Las Cruces, NM, in modest circumstances, Sophia’s horizons were circumscribed by the limits society dictated. With support and encouragement from many, Sophia not just overcame but shattered those limits. She embodies what is possible for the young people in our communities to achieve when given genuine access. Her story reminds each of us of what limitless truly means.