In today’s digital age, technological literacy has become as fundamental as reading and writing. Yet for many underprivileged students, access to quality technology education remains out of reach – creating a digital divide that threatens to widen existing socioeconomic gaps. At Code Knights, we’re committed to bridging this divide by empowering underprivileged students through innovative approaches to technology and education.
The Vision: Technology as an Equalizer
When Goktug Bas founded Code Knights in 2024, he brought with him a powerful vision: technology shouldn’t be a privilege but a pathway to opportunity for all students. Growing up in New Jersey, Goktug and his team witnessed firsthand how access to technology education could transform lives – and how its absence could limit potential.
“We saw students with brilliant minds who simply lacked the exposure and resources to develop their technological skills,” shares Goktug. “We knew that if we could connect these students with the right tools and mentorship, we could help level the playing field.”
This vision drove the creation of Code Knights as a nonprofit organization dedicated to making technology education accessible to underprivileged students across New Jersey and beyond.
The Dual Approach: Chess and Coding
What makes Code Knights unique is our dual focus on chess and coding – two disciplines that might seem unrelated at first glance but share profound educational benefits. This approach wasn’t chosen by accident; it emerged from our team’s recognition of the transformative power of these complementary skills.
Chess: The Ancient Game of Strategic Thinking
Chess has been recognized for centuries as a powerful tool for developing critical thinking skills. For underprivileged students, chess offers:
- An accessible entry point to strategic thinking
- Development of foresight and planning abilities
- Improved concentration and focus
- The experience of making decisions under pressure
- A global language that transcends socioeconomic barriers
Coding: The Modern Language of Opportunity
Meanwhile, coding provides an essential toolkit for the modern world:
- Practical skills with immediate professional applications
- Logical thinking and problem-solving frameworks
- Creative expression through technology
- The ability to create rather than just consume digital content
- Pathways to careers in high-demand fields
Together, these disciplines create a powerful educational synergy. The strategic thinking developed through chess enhances students’ approach to coding challenges, while the logical structures of coding reinforce chess analysis. This combination builds a comprehensive foundation of thinking skills that serve students well beyond our program.
The Power of Mutual Learning
At the heart of Code Knights is a profound belief in the transformative power of mutual learning. Our organization grew from the founders’ experiences at Ridgewood High School and Bergen County Academies, where they discovered that teaching and learning from peers created uniquely powerful educational experiences.
This peer-to-peer approach:
- Creates relatable role models that students can identify with
- Reduces intimidation and increases engagement
- Deepens understanding for both the teacher and learner
- Builds communication and collaboration skills
- Fosters a community of shared growth
By incorporating this philosophy into our mentorship model, we’ve created an environment where knowledge flows in multiple directions. Our mentors guide students, but students also teach each other and often provide fresh perspectives that benefit the entire community.
Technology as a Bridge, Not a Barrier
For many underprivileged students, technology has been a barrier – something they lack access to or feel excluded from. Code Knights transforms this relationship by using technology as a bridge:
Our Online Learning Hub: We’ve created a free, accessible platform where students can connect with mentors, access learning resources, and join a supportive community regardless of their geographic or financial limitations.
Accessible Equipment: We work to ensure that technological requirements for participation are minimal, designing our programs to work on basic equipment and providing guidance for accessing public resources.
Digital Literacy: Beyond specific skills, we help students develop confidence in navigating digital environments – a crucial foundation for educational and professional success in today’s world.
Beyond Skills: Fostering Personal and Academic Growth
While chess and coding skills are valuable, our ultimate goal is broader personal and academic growth. We’ve seen how our program helps students develop:
Confidence: Mastering new skills builds students’ belief in their own abilities.
Resilience: Both chess and coding involve working through challenges and learning from mistakes.
Identity: Students begin to see themselves as capable learners and potential professionals in technical fields.
Academic Performance: The thinking skills developed through our program often translate to improved performance across subjects.
Aspirations: Exposure to new possibilities expands students’ visions for their own futures.
One parent shared, “Before joining Code Knights, my son didn’t see himself as ‘tech-savvy.’ Now he’s teaching his younger siblings how to code and talking about becoming a software engineer. It’s opened up a whole new world of possibilities for him.”
Join Our Mission
At Code Knights, we’re committed to empowering underprivileged students one chess game and one line of code at a time. We believe that with the right support, every student can develop the skills and confidence needed to thrive in our technological world.
We invite you to join us in this mission:
- As a mentor, sharing your knowledge and passion
- As a supporter, helping us reach more students in need
- As an advocate, spreading the word about our free resources
Together, we can ensure that technology becomes a pathway to opportunity for all students, regardless of their background or circumstances.