Mozilla is creating education waves across the nation as they implement Hack Jams. GOOD Worldwide recent mentor of a Los Angeles Hack Jam, gives some background on Hack Jams.

We know that if we want kids to be more than consumers of technology, we have to give them the tools they need to build things themselves—and that means teaching them coding. But if most schools aren’t actually teaching coding to kids, how are they supposed to learn it? Enter the Hack Jam, a fun way to make digital literacy and hacking accessible, social, and fun.

Last week, GOOD Worldwide team members traveled to Los Angeles’ Wildwood School to serve as mentors and instructors at the LA Youth Hack Jam.

The public event, which was inspired by the Mozilla Summer Code Party and facilitated by the Los Angeles Makerspace Working Group, attracted over 100 kids between the ages of 5 and 18-years-old and their parents.

Depending on their ability coming in the door, participants were able to learn tech basics like how to upload a video to YouTube as well as lessons on programming languages. Yee says she “taught kids who were already getting their hands dirty with mobile apps, gaming prototypes, and gadgets.”

Wildwoods physics teacher, Ariel Levi Simons, described the Hack Jam as “a huge meet and greet for our up-and-coming nerds.” Indeed, there’s no doubt getting to work on DIY projects in a low-stakes, fun atmosphere under the tutelage of professionals in the field goes a long way toward encouraging kids to get involved.

Read the full story and catch a video glimpse of the action.