Code that runs
Variables, functions, conditionals, loops, and data structures control real creeps inside a persistent room.
terminal Youth Programming Cohort
A coding cohort students actually want to show up for.
Students build inside Screeps, an online strategy world where JavaScript controls a live colony. They code the systems that keep that colony running and leave with Git-backed proof of how they think. For parents, schools, churches, and program directors, it is a six-week workforce-development experience that blends fun, community, AI literacy, and real software habits.
calendar_month Next cohort: Aug 3, 2026
New cohorts run every so often. The next cohort opens Monday, August 3, 2026. Live sessions begin Tuesday, August 4, 2026. Each cohort is capped at 25 student max and gets a dedicated AutoNateAI Discord channel for coding help, Screeps strategy, build sessions, hackathons, and industry-leader networking.
public Why this works
Reserve Seats arrow_forward
Screeps makes scalable software visible.
Every concept connects to a colony students can see: loops move creeps, functions become reusable behaviors, Git protects working bot versions, APIs explain how code talks to systems, and automation helps the colony scale.
Git like builders
Students commit working bot versions, read diffs, recover from broken changes, and leave with a visible repo history.
APIs and automation
Screeps game objects make API thinking concrete while spawn logic, roles, and Memory teach automation loops.
Discord cohort
Every cohort gets a dedicated AutoNateAI Discord channel for coding questions, Screeps discussion, hackathons, and industry networking.
flag Tournament capstone
Head-to-head colony battles
Students test whether their automation, debugging, and strategy can hold up when another bot is trying to win.
emoji_events Learn, Build, Battle
01Set up Screeps, map the colony, and write the first creep behavior.
02Use functions, logic, Memory, and Git to turn scripts into a system.
03Prepare a tournament branch for AutoNateAI capture-the-flag.
Students learn to code, then compete against each other's code.
The course starts with programming fundamentals inside Screeps, then moves toward strategy: roles, memory, automation, Git branches, and Codex-supported improvements. By the end, students are not just showing a project. They are running a colony built from their own decisions.
flag Capstone
August Cohort Tournament Day
The cohort ends with an AutoNateAI capture-the-flag tournament inside Screeps where student colonies battle head-to-head. This is where the course gets loud: students see whether their logic, automation, and architecture hold up when another colony is trying to win.
AutoNateAI Screeps capture-the-flagFormat
IncludedFinal Tournament
article Articles
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For the adults deciding where students spend their time.
These reads help families and program leaders see the bigger picture: why the game is fun, why the code matters, and how the cohort turns curiosity into workforce-ready habits.
Strategy · 4 min read
Coding as Workforce Development, Not Just Screen Time
The strongest youth technology programs do more than introduce tools. They help students practice focus, problem solving, communication, version control, and follow-through.
Workforce DevelopmentCommunity ProgramsYouth Coding
Guide · 3 min read
Why Tournament Day Changes the Energy
A tournament gives students a real reason to care about debugging, architecture, and strategy. Their code has to compete against another student's code.
Tournament DayScreepsStudent Motivation
Strategy · 5 min read
Teaching Systems Thinking Through Code
A good coding program should help students understand feedback loops, constraints, resources, and tradeoffs. A real project gives those ideas something students can operate.
Critical ThinkingSoftware ArchitectureEducation