About SMASH

SMASH is committed to increasing racial equity in K-12 computer science (CS) education and the next generation of our workforce by building interest, knowledge, and aspirations in computing among underrepresented identities in the field. 

After operating for more than 20 years and inspiring thousands of students of color to pursue careers in STEM, the SMASH Board has spent the better part of 2022-2023 reimagining SMASH in alignment with educational and economic shifts.

In this next phase of the organization, SMASH aspires to engage even more students from underrepresented backgrounds through a more intensively CS-focused curriculum and across a wider variety of formats. Innovative in-person and virtual programs aim to provide early exposure to CS concepts and careers to students of all ages, with deep-impact programming specifically for high school students.

Programming will continue to center on SMASH Academy, a three-week, cost-free, residential on-campus summer experience which helps students develop critical thinking, civic and social awareness, and leadership skills. Initially available at five partner sites across the country, this next phase of Academy supports rising 11th and 12th graders in developing CS skills and credentials.

With the support of partners, SMASH plans to offer additional in-person experiences for high school and college students with Hackathons/Open Innovation Challenges, which will provide early exposure to computer science (CS), empower youth to address pressing community challenges through CS, design thinking and rapid prototyping.

To bring the SMASH experience to a national audience, we also plan to develop digital programs to support students nationwide in developing their CS knowledge and support their college and career navigation journey. SMASH digital resources will be open to students nationwide, while in-person programming serves students throughout the Bay Area, greater Atlanta, Detroit, and Boston regions.

This is a pivotal time for SMASH as SMASH builds on the success of our programs. Working at SMASH is about rapid growth, grit, personal commitment, accountability, and courage to challenge the status quo. If you have what it takes to change the computer science landscape, we want to hear from you.

SMASH is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization operating under the umbrella of the Kapor Center family of organizations. 

Project Overview

SMASH, a leading organization focused on empowering underrepresented students through STEM education, is seeking a vendor to design and deliver five computer science courses for rising high school juniors and seniors. The courses will target a wide range of skills, from foundational coding to advanced project-based learning in front-end and back-end development, physical computing, and design thinking. These courses will be a mix of virtual asynchronous and in-person synchronous delivery, designed to enhance both individual and collaborative learning experiences.

SMASH is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization operating under the umbrella of the Kapor Center family of organizations.

Scope of Work

1. Course 1: Block-Based Coding for Beginners

   • Target Audience: High school students with no prior computer science experience.

   • Delivery Method: Virtual, asynchronous.

   • Duration: 15 hours.

   • Course Description: A foundational course introducing block-based programming (e.g., Scratch or Blockly), covering fundamental computing concepts, problem-solving skills, and basic coding principles.

   • Course Goals: Equip students with the skills to understand core coding concepts and prepare them for text-based programming languages.

2. Course 2: Entry-Level Front-End Development (Project-Based)

   • Target Audience: High school juniors and seniors with some coding experience.

   • Delivery Method: In-person, synchronous.

   • Duration: 30 hours.

   • Course Description: An introductory front-end development course focused on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, with an emphasis on UX/UI design, web development, and building simple interactive websites. The course will be project-based, allowing students to apply their knowledge by designing and developing their own web projects.

   • Course Goals: Provide students with the skills to create functional, user-friendly web interfaces and complete a hands-on project showcasing their learning.

3. Course 3: Back-End Development (Python/Data Science Focused, Project-Based)

   • Target Audience: High school juniors and seniors with basic programming knowledge.

   • Delivery Method: In-person, synchronous.

   • Duration: 30 hours.

   • Course Description: A back-end development course using Python, with a focus on data science principles, including data manipulation, database interactions, and creating simple APIs. This course will be project-based, allowing students to apply their skills by developing their own back-end systems or data-driven applications.

   • Course Goals: Introduce students to server-side development, equip them with the skills to manage data, and provide them the opportunity to complete a hands-on project.

4. Course 4: Arduino: Robotics & Smart Devices / Python for Robotics

   • Target Audience: High school juniors and seniors with some programming experience.

   • Delivery Method: In-person, synchronous.

   • Duration: 15 hours.

   • Course Description: A hands-on physical computing course where students will use Arduino or Python to design, program, and build robotics or smart devices.

   • Course Goals: Provide students with practical experience in building interactive hardware projects and understanding the fundamentals of robotics and smart device programming.

5. Course 5: Design Thinking & Prototype Development

   • Target Audience: High school juniors and seniors with some programming experience.

   • Delivery Method: In-person, synchronous.

   • Duration: 18 hours.

   • Course Description: A design thinking course where students will work in teams of 3-4 to apply what they’ve learned in front-end or back-end development. Students will go through the design thinking process to create a prototype of a product or service and compete in a pitch competition.

   • Course Goals: Foster collaborative, creative problem-solving by guiding students through ideation, prototyping, and pitching their ideas in a competitive environment.

6. Implementation Phase

   • Create facilitator training agendas and facilitation materials (i.e. slide decks, handouts, resources, etc.)

   • Lead training with support of the Curriculum & Training team

   • Act as a point person throughout the curriculum rollout in 2025

   •  Provide input on rollout process, data collection, and analysis plan

   • Conduct a post-launch sync to review implementation success and make any necessary adjustments to scholar and facilitator materials for future scaling initiatives

Proposal Requirements

Vendors should provide the following in their proposal:

1. Course Development Plan:

   • Outline your approach to designing each course, including instructional design principles and strategies for engaging high school students.

   • Describe any tools, platforms, or technologies you plan to use for both the virtual and in-person courses.

2. Experience and Qualifications:

   • Provide details of your previous experience developing similar courses, particularly for high school students.

   • Include references or case studies from similar projects if available.

3. Timeline:

   • Propose a timeline for course development, including key milestones and final delivery.

4. Cost Breakdown:

   • Provide a detailed budget for each course, outlining development, delivery, and any additional resources or materials needed.

5. Instructional Support:

   • Explain any instructional support or teacher training provided with the courses, particularly for the in-person synchronous courses.

6. Assessment and Evaluation:

   • Outline how student progress will be assessed in both the virtual and in-person formats.

   • Describe methods for evaluating course effectiveness and student satisfaction.

• Relevance of Experience: Demonstrated experience in developing and delivering computer science courses for high school students.

• Approach and Methodology: Clarity and thoughtfulness in course design, instructional strategies, and alignment with SMASH’s goals.

• Cost Effectiveness: Competitive pricing while ensuring high-quality content and instruction.

• Timeline: Ability to meet the project’s timeline and deliver courses in time for the upcoming academic cycle.

• Innovation: Use of engaging, cutting-edge teaching methods and technologies.

Please submit your proposal no later than 12/6/24. Proposals should be submitted via email to cam.clay@smash.org.