Ynez Norris, 14, of Merebank, recently placed first in Durban in the Coolest Projects coding competition.

Coolest Projects is a global event that celebrates young tech talent, with showcases in countries including Ireland and the US.

For the first time, Durban hosted a local edition of Coolest Projects, joining Cape Town and the Eastern Cape in a remote event that highlighted the creativity of South African youth.

"I started coding because my mom saw that I liked anything technology-related. She started signing me up on games and websites that taught coding for free. That was the best thing ever," said Ynez.

“I taught myself to code at age 7 by playing coding games. I began coding on scratch, and I am now proficient in the following coding languages: HTML, CSS and Java Scrip. I am currently teaching myself to code in Python,” said the Grade 7 pupil of Durban Christian Centre school in Mayville.

He added that he liked that he could sit in his room and code something that could be used across the world.

“Coding controls everything we use every day and to be part of that is inspiring.”

He started attending weekly coding lessons last year, so he could increase his knowledge, at Blue Roof Coder Dojo in Merewent. This is a global network of free coding clubs, aimed at empowering young people with essential tech skills.

"The dojo is part of a broader effort to foster creativity, confidence, and curiosity in youth through coding, game development, and digital exploration. Beyond coding, it’s about building a community where kids feel supported and inspired to create.”

Ynez created a math and spelling game called BrainBlitz for grades 1 to 7. The reason he chose this game was to improve children's maths and reading.

His coder dojo mentor Ashley Muchenje said: “Among the many brilliant projects in Durban, Ynez’s creation truly stood out and was celebrated as a favorite by the judges. This recognition speaks to the power of Coolest Projects to spotlight and nurture the potential of our young innovators.”

He won a R1 000 gift card and a PicoGo Mobile Raspberry Pi Robot Kit.

Ynez said: "Creating the game was challenging because I worked on it while studying for my final exams at school. I had my mom do my user testing as I added more steps in the game and I’m thankful that she let me stay up past my bedtime to complete the game.

"I wanted the game to help a child learn something and not just be a random game that I would only use for the competition. I'm extremely proud of this achievement and hope it inspires more children to join the world of coding. My dream is to become a software engineer after I finish school."

He added that he wanted to use coding to change the world; make something easier for someone who needed help, and to use technology to fix issues like pollution and crime.

“My mom is strict with screen time at home, so my iPad is on a timer and once my time is up, it automatically locks me out. School work comes first though. Once I’m done with school work and coding, I end my day reading one of my books. Aside from coding, I love reading, I have read close to 2 000 books since I was about 3 years old, and I am a brown belt in karate. I also love playing and watching soccer.”

Ynez said his parents were his biggest supporters, especially his mom, as she motivated him to do things that would make his future dreams a reality.

“My dad tells me every day that anything worth having, you have to work for. This is what I live by. I have to add that my parents are strict when it comes to my academics. They also don’t let me quit anything I start. I have to complete it no matter how hard it gets."

His parents, Lynton and Klemmi Norris, said they were proud of his accomplishments.

“Ynez’s dedication and passion for coding inspire us every day. Watching him grow and excel in something he loves has been a joy, and this achievement is just the beginning of an incredible journey. We couldn’t be prouder of his hard work and determination,” said Klemmi.

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