For kids
Coding & electronics workshops
From building a first webpage to lighting LEDs with Arduino, our students learn by making things.
Student-led in Ashburn, Virginia
We're students helping people learn technology.
We run hands-on coding and electronics workshops, help people get comfortable with everyday tech, and work to give useful donated devices a second life.
Hands-on learning Patient guidance Community access
What we doLearn it.
Build it.
Build it.
01Build real projects02Ask tech questions03Reuse good devices04Learn online safety
Why this matters
We want people to feel comfortable learning technology.
A first website. A working LED circuit. Figuring out how to use a phone or laptop. These might seem like small steps, but they can make technology feel a lot less intimidating.
We teach at a pace people can follow, with enough time to ask questions, make mistakes, and try again.
One mission / three movements
01Kids learn by making.
They try things, ask questions, and share what they build.
02Older adults get time.
We slow down, listen, and work through the task together.
03Devices go where they help.
A good device gets another chance to help.
From the roomThe best part is seeing it click.
Students build something, explain it, and leave knowing they can do more than they thought.
Meet the people behind OpenByte
We're the students behind OpenByte.
We're Adithya, Abdullah, and Bodha, three students at Stone Bridge High School. We started OpenByte after noticing how many people wanted to learn technology but didn't always have someone nearby who could help.
Our first outreach events didn't go as planned. Not many people showed up, even after we handed out flyers. We learned that the best way to get people interested was to give them something they could actually learn or build.
- Adithya Kandasamy
- Abdullah Ahamed
- Bodha Achi
Our progress so far · October 2026
Here's what we've done so far.
~15Students at an early coding and web-development workshop
3ESP32 smart-car kits donated by Adeept for hands-on learning
We've also started our fall Arduino and Electronics program. We'll add attendance, completed projects, and devices distributed as we verify the results.
Read our Bulldog Tribune featureOpenByte Opens Technological PathwaysBy Saadya Bojja · October 9, 2026
How we help
Here's what we're working on.
We teach coding and electronics, offer help with everyday tech, and organize local device donation efforts.
For older adults
Digital confidence for older adults
Bring the phone, laptop, or online task that has been getting in the way. We’ll work through it together.
For the community
Community device drives
We collect useful devices, prepare them for a new home, and connect them with people who can use them.
Got a device to spare?
It might be exactly what someone else needs.
A laptop or phone sitting in a drawer can help someone learn, apply for a job, stay in touch, or get through an everyday task.
Tell us what you have
We’ll let you know if it fits a current need and what to do next.
Host a drive
Schools, libraries, businesses, and neighbors can collect devices with us.
Pitch in where you can
Help with pickup, sorting, outreach, workshops, or the cost of getting devices where they need to go.
Donate technology
Give your unused tech a new purpose.
Have a laptop, tablet, phone, or another device to donate? Fill out this form with the device details and your preferred drop-off or pickup option. We'll follow up to confirm the next steps before you bring or send anything.
Open the technology donation formNot sure where to start?
That’s okay. We can start with a conversation.
- 01Tell us what you need.
Learn, get support, give a device, or volunteer.
- 02Share the useful details.
You don’t need to have the perfect words.
- 03We’ll point you in the right direction.
We’ll connect you with the right person or program.
Support OpenByte
Help someone get unstuck.
Your donation helps us run kids' workshops, sit with older adults as they learn, and get donated devices ready for their next home. The total and leaderboard update from Hack Club Bank.
Donate through Hack Club Bank OpenByte is fiscally sponsored by Hack Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible.Questions people ask
A few answers before you reach out.
Still not sure? Email team@openbyte-np.org and tell us what you’re trying to do.
Is OpenByte only for beginners?
No. Programs start with the person in front of us. The goal is practical progress, whether that means a first step or a new project.
Can I give you a used device?
Yes. Fill out our technology donation form with details about the device. We'll follow up to confirm the next steps before you bring or send anything.
Can my school, library, or business work with you?
Yes. We can talk about hosting a class, organizing a collection, providing space, or supporting outreach.
Where can I see what donations are doing?
The live total and donor leaderboard above come directly from OpenByte's Hack Club Bank account.
Contact OpenByte
Have a question? Get in touch.
For partnerships, sponsorships, volunteering, program questions, device donations, or general questions, reach out by email or Instagram.
OpenByte Positions
Interested in joining OpenByte?
Use the OpenByte Positions form below to apply to join the team.
Open the Positions form