By JESSICA NOLTE
DAILY PRESS |
APR 05, 2021 AT 8:04 AM

Beginning Tuesday, 34 students in Hampton Roads will use their spring break to learn about computer coding, music production and entrepreneurship through a virtual course offered by the Innovation Lab at Brooks Crossing in Newport News.

Students will complete a curriculum based on the Your Voice Is Power competition hosted by Amazon, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Beach-native Pharrell Williams’ philanthropic organization, YELLOW.

“The big question of the project is how does music, computer science and entrepreneurship promote pathways to racial equity,” said Brandie Wright, program instructor.

Wright, a teacher at Dozier Middle School, has already offered the program to students in her classroom, but she reached out to the Innovation Lab so more students would have the chance to learn and compete.

Over the course of the four-day program, students will code a remix of Pharrell’s new song “Entrepreneur” using Python, a general-purpose programming language,

“This type of beatmaking is literally using a digital-audio workstation — this is what professional music producers are now using,” Wright said.

Beatmaking is a type of music production that uses an eclectic mixture of rhythm-based musical influences and styles to create hip-hop and rap music.

Students will have to use at least three components — such as the drumbeat, bass or vocals — from Pharrell’s song. How they use the parts and what they add is up to them.

“What students are going to learn is no matter what type of music you like, you can create your song remix,” Wright said.

The Innovation Lab has a recording studio, and people have been able to use it for beatmaking, said Mia D. Joe, director. This is the first time the lab has offered a program that taught beatmaking through coding.

“I regularly poll my students on what they want to learn about next and coding is always number one — even if we’ve done it before,” Wright said.

Georgia Tech created the web-based EarSketch platform students will use to code their remixes. Participants only need a laptop or Chromebook to use the program.

“I love that people are bringing more awareness to how coding and computer science integrate with any job,” Wright said. “Technology is just as necessary in every career as reading and writing are.”

The course will also explore entrepreneurship — a skill Wright says is prioritized in the Newport News Public Schools curriculum.

“Entrepreneurship is something that all students can connect with whether you go to college or you don’t go to college,” Wright said.

Some of her students are already eager to start their own businesses, she said. Entrepreneurial skills are something the Innovation Lab encourages for children and adults. The lab has offered a social entrepreneurship for youth class every quarter since it opened.

“It’s not enough just to provide individuals with the skills to develop these products. You have to provide them the training to sell the product and market the product and manage the day-to-day operations,” Joe said.

The beatmaking program was only promoted for about three days before it reached capacity. It’s the fastest filling virtual program the Innovation Lab has offered, Joe said. While the upcoming session is full, she’s considering offering it again because of the demand.

The Innovation Lab has only opened its in-person resources to adults because of the pandemic. It plans to reopen to students in the near future.

“I think it’s important that our community realizes that you don’t have to live in a big city like Atlanta or New York or D.C. to have these types of resources. Brooks Crossing is right there,” Wright, the program facilitator, said.

Jessica Nolte, 757-912-1675, jnolte@dailypress.com