"A truly unique gem!"

"Challenged and inspired."

"Fall in love with USACO."

Middle school

Liftoff coders league

The Launchpad for Tomorrow's Competitive Programming Champions

Consistent growth • improve with weekly problems adjusted to youExciting community • monthly live contests with new friends

By Breakout Mentors

improve with

Personalized Problems

Each week you'll receive one interesting problem to solve with Python code. It will be the perfect challenge for you and take under 30 minutes to solve. At the end of the week you can view the solution — your next problem difficulty will adjust based on your results.

sample problem statement

Monthly

Thrilling Contests

There's nothing more motivating than learning alongside others. Prepare for future competitive programming contests like USACO with these timed events. Track your progress on the leaderboard and get to know other kids at your level.

Are you ready?

Pricing

Annual billing

$25 / month

Monthly billing

$39 / month

100% Independent

Prove Your Skills

Many kids come out of a summer camp or after-school class with Python knowledge, but not able to code independently. This is your measuring stick. Are you able to use the coding fundamentals to achieve your desired goal? Can you write code that works without bugs? Here is your consistent and engaging practice necessary to improve.

Become ready for

USACO Bronze

Some students interested in USACO dive into the Bronze division before their coding fundamentals are mastered. That is a mistake. USACO requires specific problem solving insights, not brainpower devoted to loops, arrays, and debugging. The top division of Liftoff Coders is validation that you are ready to start training for USACO Bronze problem solving.

sticker prizes

Prizes!

Earn Exclusive Stickers

Track your progress as you move up the divisions. Earn stickers for your effort and achievements. Students in the United States can request stickers mailed to them — put them on your water bottle, laptop, or wherever!

Who is a good fit?

Middle Schoolers who know how to code in python

The league is open to late elementary and early high school students as well (ages 8-17). It supports a wide range of coding abilities, however won't teach you what at IF statement is. It gives you the frequent practice and motivation to master the fundamentals.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • My son or daughter is a beginner, will this teach them how to code?

    Our aim is to give the frequent and steady practice necessary to master the coding fundamentals, while supporting a wide range of skill sets from beginner to advanced. However, this is not the ideal spot to learn about loops, conditionals, variables, and functions for the first time. If your son or daughter can already code independently, even just a little bit, Liftoff Coders League is a great fit to keep advancing.

  • Is Python the only language? What about JavaScript or Java?

    We are focusing on the language most students this age know best: Python. The language syntax is simple and allows students to focus more on the logic. If someone knows the syntax of a different language, it should be possible to quickly learn the indent, colon, and parenthesis rules for Python.

  • How is this different than USACO Bronze?

    USACO Bronze is TOUGH! For example, we heard from a parent of a sharp middle schooler "USACO kinda knocked his socks off". Liftoff Coders League will be easier than USACO Bronze and not require nearly as many problem solving insights necessary to succeed. Each problem will be more straightforward and give increasingly difficult practice coding solutions.

  • Will this help my son or daughter pass USACO Bronze?

    Think of Liftoff Coders League as a prerequisite for USACO Bronze. First you want to prove your coding fundamentals are rock solid. Only then do you want to dive into the longer word puzzles and specific problem solving skills needed for the more difficult USACO Bronze problems. If you are interested in USACO Bronze but can't solve any of the problems from recent years, Liftoff Coders League is a great fit. We aim to be the perfect training ground for sharp middle schoolers who might one day compete in USACO.

  • How do the live contests work? What if we can't make it?

    The monthly live contests will be held on weekends at varying days and times. We will purposefully change it each time so hopefully the next one works better for you. We expect that the schedule won't always work out, so will give you the chance to complete the problems at a more convenient time (although there won't be the live contest leaderboards and timers).

  • Will you provide instruction or answers to problems?

    Yes, example answers will be provided at the end of the week or contest. These answers will include some brief description of how they work. We wait until afterwards so that students have the chance to fully struggle through solutions before giving up.

  • When does Liftoff Coders League start?

    June 2024. Please join now and you won't be charged until the league officially starts. By joining early you will get advanced looks and exclusive stickers.

  • Who is behind this?

    This is created by Brian Skinner and the team at Breakout Mentors. We have been focusing on competitive programming for years, in addition to other types of coding. After working with thousands of students, we know what is necessary to advance.

Ready?

Sign up Now

Liftoff Coders League will launch in June 2024.Join now for the chance to test problems and give feedback. Early sign ups will receive access to exclusive "Founding Member" stickers. Plus, the first 20 receive a free USACO Bronze video course. Join here.If you aren't ready yet, you can still join the email list:

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We will keep you updated about Liftoff Coders League!