Daniel Rhode Email & Phone Number

Imagine being asked to teach a subject that has been your lifelong passion. That’s exactly what happened to me when President Obama’s CS10K initiative aimed to train 10,000 new Computer Science educators. After spending 20 years in special education, I took this opportunity to transform my hobby of programming into a full-fledged career in Computer Science education.I’ve been coding for many years, starting with designing inventory software for my father’s business and creating IEP generation software that streamlined processes for educators across Southwest Wisconsin. These early projects, shared freely with anyone who asked, laid the foundation for my journey into teaching Computer Science.After completing extensive retraining while maintaining my full-time job, I transitioned into teaching high school Computer Science. My dedication to this field earned me the Code.org $10K Leader Prize and a $6K Kohl Fellowship Award. In 2019, my students achieved 11th place nationally in CyberPatriot’s Gold Tier, an accomplishment recognized personally by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. Additionally, our Overwatch eSports team secured 2nd place at the state level out of 75 teams.For six summers, I trained high school teachers in Computer Science pedagogy at Marquette University, and I contributed to the development of Code.org’s AP Computer Science A (AP-CSA) curriculum. My work included coding and consulting, with several of my contributions now embedded in the AP-CSA program. I also played a pivotal role in shaping Computer Science K-12 Standards for Wisconsin and contributed to the Praxis Test development, which certifies Computer Science teachers in multiple states.Today, as an expert Computer Science educator, I continue to share my passion for coding and education, helping to shape the future of technology education for the next generation.