This South Bay 7-Year-Old Didn't Just Play Video Games This Summer — She Built One

LOS GATOS, CA — While many 7-year-olds are spending summer vacation at camp or the pool, one Los Gatos second grader has been busy building her own video game.

Myra P., a student at Stratford School's Belgatos Park, spent her summer creating Animal Cake House, a game in which players guide an animal character up layers of cake using platforms and trampolines to reach a cherry at the top.

Myra told Patch the idea grew out of what she learned in her computer science class..

"The most challenging part was figuring out exactly what to build and then explaining it using [my] voice," Myra told Patch. "I used voice because I am not used to typing."

Her computer science teacher, Sakshi Kalra, told Patch the school's curriculum emphasizes hands-on projects that encourage students to think creatively while developing technical skills.

"It is incredibly rewarding to see students like Myra take that foundation and transform their imagination into an independent project like Animal Cake House," Kalra told Patch. "Her accomplishment reflects not only her creativity and dedication but also the confidence to keep learning, experimenting and bringing her ideas to life."

According to the school, students are encouraged to apply coding concepts through project-based learning, giving them opportunities to build original creations beyond the classroom.