Alex
Game Developer & Educator
- 10+ years game development
- Worked at Meta & Target
Specialties: Gaming · Puzzle-Solving
Why Alex teaches here
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 delivering 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 students experience in Alex's classes
High Engagement
Alex spent ten years building real video games, including a multiplayer physics game and a 3D platformer that shipped to actual players, and he teaches kids to make the things they love instead of only playing them. From Unity and Blender to Arduino robotics and VR, his classes are hands-on builds where students walk away having created something that runs.
Intellectual Safety
Homeschooled from elementary school through college, Alex knows learning does not have to follow one rigid path, and he meets kids who learn differently without judgment. In coding and 3D design, breaking things and debugging is the actual work, so a mistake is just the next step rather than a failure.
True Belonging
Alex is openly all-in on what he loves, from retro gaming and escape rooms to mechanical keyboards and his dog, and that enthusiasm gives kids room to geek out fully. Students who light up over games, puzzles, and building things find a mentor who turned those same passions into a career.
The right mentor can change everything.
You don't have to figure this out alone. See where Alex and the rest of the YSA village are teaching this season.
Explore Alex's Courses →Explore Alex's Courses
Discover the courses and camps Alex teaches.
3D Printing
In this 3D Printing course, your child will explore how to take an object from their imagination, an ...
AI Safety & Ethics
In this class, we will talk about how to safely use AI in order to keep your personal data safe, how ...
AI: Vibe Coding
In this course we will dive into the world of AI, and learn all about how AI agents work, what goes ...
Arduino Robotics
Arduino is the heart of hardware programming. Let’s learn how to create your very own robots! We w ...
Blender 3D: Game Design, Modeling & Animation
Want to give your digital artwork some dimension? Let’s dive into Blender and learn how to 3D model ...
Cryptography: Codes, Puzzles, & Ciphers
Try It From The Inside Satisfaction Guarantee: Our Promise To You: If you’re not 100% in love with t ...
COMMON QUESTIONS
Questions Parents Ask.
Everything you need to know about Young Scholars Academy.
What is Young Scholars Academy?
YSA is a WASC-accredited virtual village for gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students ages 5–25. We offer 200+ live online courses (from Minecraft Redstone Engineering to AP Psychology to Mock Trial) with a maximum of 6–8 students per course, taught by 20 hand-selected mentor teachers who are neurodivergent themselves. We serve 1,200+ families across 47+ states and 17 countries. This is not a marketplace. It's a school and a community.
How does it work?
During Fall and Spring semesters, courses meet once a week, live on Zoom, 50 minutes per session. During Summer, camps run Monday through Friday, one week at a time. When your child enrolls in 3 or more courses, they get free access to Homeroom Social Club — a weekly gathering with a consistent group of friends. Between courses, students hang out on our virtual campus where they walk as avatars, eat lunch together, and build real friendships with kids from around the world who finally get them.
Who is this for?
Gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students, including kids with ADHD, autism, giftedness, anxiety, dyslexia, and PDA. No diagnosis required. If your child is clever, quirky, and hasn't found their people yet, they belong here. About 65% of our families homeschool. The rest use us alongside traditional or charter schools.
Is this a low-demand environment?
Yes. Enrichment courses have no grades and no traditional homework. However, for-credit courses include assignments and letter grades. Cameras always optional. Challenge by choice. Students are never cold-called, never forced to participate, and never penalized for how they choose to engage. For students with PDA, demand avoidance, or anxiety, this is the difference between a program they resist and one they ask to log into.
How much does it cost?
Semester courses start at $624. Summer camps are $149–$169 per camp. Payment plans, sibling discounts, referral credits, and ESA/charter funding accepted. We're an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs.
Will my child actually make friends?
This is the part that surprises parents most. Your child joins a course about something they love and meets 6–8 kids who love it too. Same group all semester (or all week for camps). Parents tell us their children are more connected with this community than with anyone physically around them. 93% of families re-enroll because their kids won't let them stop.
What if it doesn't work?
100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Switch courses, receive a credit, or stop payments. No questions asked. We can offer this because we know what happens when these kids find their people.
What do parents get?
Virtual Coffee & Connect hours every couple of weeks. Regular Expert Talks with leaders like Seth Perler, Debbie Reber, and Dr. Temple Grandin. A Facebook group where families connect and support each other. Progress updates from mentors. And the ability to watch your child's courses anytime (just stay off camera). You're not just enrolling your child. You're joining a village.