Are the adults doing all the teaching? Is peer-to-peer teaching happening? (Are kids teaching other kids?) Do kids have the opportunity to turn around and mentor someone else? Do they get to grow in their role from beginner to expert? Is all the learning happening unidirectionally, with kids absorbing what adults are teaching? Are skills being learned from a variety of people of different ages and backgrounds, or do all of the “experts” look alike? Are kids encouraged to create learning tools for other kids? Do adults have all the power positions?

The NYC Foundation For Computer Science Education (csnyc.org for short) is a non-profit (501c3) with a simple mission: Ensure that all children in the NYC public schools have access to computer science education that will put them on a pathway to academic success and a 21st century career

The next step in innovation is just around the corner, as the library prepares to open an ambitious technology-and-training center at the downtown branch. The technology center, opening in February, will include music, film and photography studios, editing bays, driving and flight simulators, even a fabrication lab with 3-D printers. Those 3-D printers are already in use for demonstration purposes. They are able to scan and replicate with amazing precision objects ranging from children's toys to cooking implements.

"I've seen them start with D's and F's, and these kids now have A's," said Phil Zoshak, programs coordinator for Page 15, a nonprofit that runs the Homework Room at the Downtown Recreation Complex. "We've seen their grades improve; we've seen their attendance improve. We've really seen growth in these kids."

The unique skill and taste of an Instrument Maker is what sets the stage for great music. Any object that makes sound can be an instrument, but true music starts with expert design and craftsmanship. Before Miles Davis could play his trumpet, there was a Maker who built his sonic tool.