Michelle Sun facts for kids

Michelle Sun (Chinese: 辛婥琳; pinyin: Xīn Nàolín) is an entrepreneur from Hong Kong. She is known for starting First Code Academy. This was a special school that taught kids from age 4 and up how to code. They learned to create things like mobile apps. First Code Academy had schools in several cities in Asia, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.

Early Life and Learning

Michelle Sun grew up in Hong Kong. She did very well in her high school exams. Later, she studied Economics at the University of Chicago in the United States.

In 2012, Michelle took a three-month computer programming course. It was at a special school called Hackbright Academy in San Francisco. This school was just for women who wanted to learn coding.

In 2016, she joined a program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This program taught educators how to teach coding to kids.

Her Career Journey

Working at Goldman Sachs

From 2007 to 2010, Michelle worked at a big financial company called Goldman Sachs. She was a research analyst there.

Starting Her First Business

In 2011, Michelle started her very first business. It was about connecting shops and customers using a mobile app for loyalty rewards. Working on this business made her want to learn how to code herself.

Learning in Silicon Valley

After her coding course, Michelle worked for different tech companies in Silicon Valley. This is a famous area in California known for technology. While she was there, she started volunteering on weekends. She taught coding to middle school girls. This experience gave her the idea to start her own coding school.

Founding First Code Academy

In 2013, Michelle moved back to Hong Kong. She then started First Code Academy. It began as a small workshop just for girls. Soon, it grew to offer many courses for both boys and girls, from ages four to eighteen.

The courses taught basic programming and how to build apps and websites. They even covered advanced topics like Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence. Michelle wanted to help kids get important coding skills. She believed that all children should understand coding. She also really wanted more young girls to get interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

First Code Academy expanded to places like Taiwan, Macau, and Singapore. Michelle wanted to show girls that they could succeed in coding and tech, even if it seemed like a male-dominated field. She taught her students to be persistent and optimistic. First Code Academy stopped its lessons in May 2022.

Teaching at MIT

In 2017, Michelle became a guest lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She helped train teachers in the Master Trainers program. This program teaches educators how to teach coding to kids.

Helping Others in Tech

Michelle is very active in helping more women join the tech industry. She helped start the Women Who Code HK group. She is also a council member of the Hong Kong Women's Foundation. She believes these groups help women in tech by offering support and advice.

Awards and Recognition

Michelle Sun has received several awards for her work:

• In 2015, the BBC named her one of the "30 Under 30 Women Entrepreneurs."
• In 2016, Forbes magazine included her in their "30 Under 30 in Asia" list.
• She also won a Woman of Hope award in 2014 and 2015 for her entrepreneurship.