The only reason we're alive is because we really believe it. Coach Howland has been preaching defense since Day 1 and our level of focus has really risen. We really believe in what the coaching staff is teaching us.

The PlayStation, $300 with a DVD-player and it runs Linux and Java, it's huge. Why would you ever put a PC someplace? It breaks all the time. You would spend more time fixing it than teaching (how to use it). These things (the PlayStation consoles) are designed for 12-year-olds and are really powerful.

The position that opened up happened to be a social studies position. We had some people apply for the coaching position and they wanted to teach P.E. We had some other people apply just for the teaching position. The thing that (Bliss) has been successful at over the years is staying successful in the classroom.

The potential right now for success at that school is very, very high. Of the 30 kids in my class, about 10 are Hispanic. It's very difficult for me to look at those kids that I'm teaching now and know that statistically there's a good chance some of them will drop out of school.

The premise of 'Secret Coders' is reminiscent of 'Harry Potter.' An intrepid band of tweens stumbles upon a secret school, only instead of teaching magic, the school teaches coding.