Rolling enrollment open. Courses prorated.
Explore now.Does your student want to understand what AI actually is and how to use it well? In this course, students learn how AI agents work, what goes into building them, and how to get the most out of AI as a platform. We dive deep into Large Language Models (LLMs) and explore the fascinating history of how machine learning evolved from early experiments to the AI tools your child uses today. Students will build their own AI projects, learn how to back them up and maintain them responsibly, and understand both the power and limits of this transformative technology. This is a hands-on, curiosity-driven course for students who want to be creators with AI, not just consumers of it.
In this course, your child dives into the world of AI to learn how AI agents really work, explore Large Language Models (LLMs), and discover how to use AI as a powerful creative and practical platform. Students build real projects, learn best practices for maintaining them, and understand the thinking behind modern AI technology.
What exactly is a Large Language Model? How does it learn patterns from text? Students explore what actually goes into AI agents, understand the mechanics behind LLMs like ChatGPT, and learn how to get the most out of AI as a platform. We'll break down the "black box" and see how these systems actually think.
Machine learning didn't start with ChatGPT. The course traces the fascinating history of how language models evolved—from early neural networks and transformers to the breakthrough moments that led to modern LLMs. Understanding where AI came from helps your child predict where it's going and use it more intentionally.
Theory is great, but building is better. Students create their own AI-powered projects and applications. They'll learn how to design prompts, integrate AI tools into their work, and iterate on their creations based on results. Your child will walk away with real, working projects they built themselves.
Part of being a true creator is knowing how to maintain what you build. We'll discuss best practices for backing up your work, keeping your AI projects safe, and using AI responsibly. Your child will understand both the incredible potential and the real limitations and ethical considerations of this technology.
Most students will eventually need to work with AI. Your child gets a head start by understanding the history of language models, the mechanics of LLMs, and the future of AI. They'll learn not just how to use AI, but why it works the way it does. Parents tell us their kids come away with a grounded perspective that puts them ahead of peers still trying to figure out what ChatGPT is.
Instead of passively using AI tools, your child learns to build with them. They'll create their own projects, maintain them responsibly with proper backups, and understand both the incredible power and real limitations of AI. That shift from consumer to creator is exactly what colleges and employers look for.
By learning the history of machine learning and how transformers led to modern LLMs, your child develops intuition about where AI is headed. Understanding the evolution from early neural networks to today gives context and perspective that makes them a smarter, more critical user and builder of AI.
YSA is a UC-registered online publisher and WASC-accredited Supplementary Education Center, which means our courses can count toward official college credit requirements. State schools can recognize the courses your student takes here, adding real legitimacy to your homeschooling journey or building on top of your student's existing transcript. That unlocks two ways to enroll: For Credit -- Your student earns official, accredited credit toward their transcript. For-credit students complete weekly assignments that build toward their transcript grade. Outside-of-class work ranges from 1-2 hours per week. Perfect for families who want documentation that reflects what their child is actually capable of -- to show the world how brilliant they are. For Enrichment -- Your student takes the very same course purely for the love of learning. No grades, no outside-of-class work, no credit attached. Just the content, the community, and the growth. Same course. Same mentor. Same experience in class. You choose what fits your family.
If you homeschool, this works seamlessly. If your student attends another school full time, we create a report card and transcript that we share with you, and you share with the school. It is up to your primary school to accept it and add it to your student's official transcript.
Understand Large Language Models (LLMs) from the ground up—how they learn, why they work, and what makes them special 
Trace the history of AI and machine learning, from early neural networks to transformers to modern LLMs, so you understand where this technology came from and where it's going 
Build your own AI-powered projects and applications, learning to design prompts, integrate AI tools, and iterate on your ideas 
Learn professional practices like backing up your work, maintaining projects responsibly, and using AI ethically with both eyes open to its power and limitations 
Share discoveries and experiments with peers who are just as curious about AI, learning from each other's projects and breakthroughs 
Build genuine comfort working alongside AI tools as a creator and problem-solver, not just a consumer 
Hey there! I'm Alex! I've been a game developer for 10 years, and I've worked for Meta and Target. I've also developed a few games, including Totally Reliable Delivery Service (A multiplayer physics game about delivery packages poorly) and Ollie-Oop, a 3D platformer about a skateboarding dog named Ollie who goes on the adventure of his dreams! I was also a home school kid all through elementary school up until college. I love all kinds of video games, puzzles, escape rooms, mystery/detective movies, retro gaming, mechanical keyboards, cooking, and I love dogs!
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING
Parents don't just see happier kids. They see sharper thinking, stronger friendships, and a child who actually wants to log on.
★★★★★
"My daughter built a working app with Alex and demoed it to the whole family at dinner. Watching a kid who used to say she was bad at computers call herself a builder was everything."
Paige A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son is 2e and usually melts down the second something does not work. Alex taught him to describe what he wanted and let the AI help, and he stayed calm and finished his own game."
Renee A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter built a working app with Alex and demoed it to the whole family at dinner. Watching a kid who used to say she was bad at computers call herself a builder was everything."
Paige A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son is 2e and usually melts down the second something does not work. Alex taught him to describe what he wanted and let the AI help, and he stayed calm and finished his own game."
Renee A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex is patient, funny, and genuinely kind. My son trusts Alex, and that trust changed how he feels about learning."
Paula A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"I was nervous about online learning. Alex proved me wrong. My daughter is engaged the entire time."
Tara A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex is patient, funny, and genuinely kind. My son trusts Alex, and that trust changed how he feels about learning."
Paula A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"I was nervous about online learning. Alex proved me wrong. My daughter is engaged the entire time."
Tara A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex challenges my son without ever making him feel behind. He is finally excited to be pushed."
Kara A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Cameras optional, pressure off, and somehow Alex still gets my daughter to open up and shine."
Meghan A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex challenges my son without ever making him feel behind. He is finally excited to be pushed."
Kara A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Cameras optional, pressure off, and somehow Alex still gets my daughter to open up and shine."
Meghan A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter built a working app with Alex and demoed it to the whole family at dinner. Watching a kid who used to say she was bad at computers call herself a builder was everything."
Paige A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son is 2e and usually melts down the second something does not work. Alex taught him to describe what he wanted and let the AI help, and he stayed calm and finished his own game."
Renee A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex is patient, funny, and genuinely kind. My son trusts Alex, and that trust changed how he feels about learning."
Paula A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"I was nervous about online learning. Alex proved me wrong. My daughter is engaged the entire time."
Tara A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex challenges my son without ever making him feel behind. He is finally excited to be pushed."
Kara A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Cameras optional, pressure off, and somehow Alex still gets my daughter to open up and shine."
Meghan A.
YSA parent
If you’re not 100% in love with the course, you have options depending on how you enrolled:
You can switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit or get a credit to use toward a future course.
You can either get credit toward a future course, switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit, or stop all future payments after a 30-day processing period.
No risk. No stress. Just the learning and belonging you have been looking for.
We can offer this because we know what we do works for thousands of other families. Kids become more self-confident. They find their people. And families tell us this is the place where their student finally feels welcome. We know it will work for your family, too.
All-Access Passes have separate terms and conditions. Please see the All-Access Pass pages.
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway... to qualify for the satisfaction guarantee policy, you have to actually attend the classes. This is not a cancellation policy. It’s a satisfaction guarantee. You can’t be satisfied or dissatisfied if you don’t attend.
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that offers one-of-a-kind, engaging enrichment courses and community for 5-18-year-old bright, quirky kids to empower them to develop their strengths, make like-minded friends, cultivate life skills, build confidence, and feel great about themselves under the loving care of expert mentors. description2: >- Picture a place where your child fits in, is celebrated, mentored, and loves learning the unique content their beautiful brain craves. That happens every day at YSA for over 1,200+ families, and it can happen for your family, too.
WASC Accredited · 1,200+ Families · 93% Re-Enroll · 47+ States, 17 Countries, 6 Continents
Learn more about YSAQUESTIONS ABOUT THIS COURSE
Everything you need to know before enrolling your child.
No prior experience is needed for our beginner-level courses. Our mentors meet students where they are and build skills progressively. For gifted and 2e kids, coding is a natural fit - it rewards the kind of systematic thinking, pattern recognition, and creative problem-solving their brains already do well. Students work on real projects they can show off, not just abstract exercises.
Yes. YSA families join from 47+ states and 17 countries across 6 continents. All you need is an internet connection. We schedule sections across multiple time zones so families worldwide can find a time that works.
AI: Vibe Coding meets once per week for 50 minutes, every week from August through December. Your child joins the same tight-knit group of up to 8 students and the same mentor all semester long. Same friends, same mentor, a new challenge every week.
Our gifted and 2e students experience such asynchronous development that hard age limits rarely tell the full story. If your student should be aged up or aged down, contact us at support@youngscholarsacademy.org or click the chat in the bottom right corner of the screen. We do this all the time.
Please don't confuse reactive distance learning with what happens at YSA. When a kid is engaged in a course they chose, with a mentor who gets them and peers who share their interests, the screen disappears. They're not on a screen. They're with their people. Parents tell us their children fight to log on to YSA.
If your child isn't loving a course by the end of the first week, swap into a different course. Same semester. No questions. Not the right fit within the first month? We'll stop payments, switch courses, or issue credit toward any future course. The credit never expires. And you keep every bonus you've received. Over 93% of YSA families don't just stay. They add more courses.
No. Cameras are always optional. Always. Many of our students start with cameras off and turn them on when they're comfortable. Our mentors engage every student equally, cameras on or off.
No. If you're here, you're in the right place. We don't require paperwork, evaluations, or labels. Whether your child has been formally identified as gifted or twice-exceptional, whether you suspect it but haven't pursued testing, or whether you just know your kid's brain works differently and nothing else has fit, they're welcome here.
Yes. YSA is an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs including Arizona ESA, Utah Fits All, ClassWallet, My Tech High, Florida Step Up, and others. Enroll directly to secure your child's spot, submit the invoice to your ESA, and your payment method is refunded when funds transfer. Many families pay zero out of pocket.
Click "See Available Times" on this page, pick the section that fits your schedule, and your child's spot is secured immediately. No phone call. No placement test. No prerequisite.
Right now, a kid who thinks like your kid is in a course they chose, with a mentor who was once just like them, surrounded by friends who don't think they're weird... they think they're interesting.
Your child is one click from finding out what that feels like.
Just a computer with a keyboard you can work on. Windows or Mac is great!