When he was a kid, Graham Mitchell dreamed of making video games.

That dream stemmed from a love of computer science at a very young age, when he took Computer Literacy classes every year of middle school. There he learned basic typing skills, the physical pieces of a computer, and beginner coding.

“I quickly learned I had a knack for it,” Mitchell said.

Finding something to stay rooted in was key in Mitchell’s childhood, since he had 19 different mailing addresses by the time he graduated from high school. His parents bought him a computer, so he could learn more coding and computer techniques. Even with the experience he had, it was still a shock when he went on to study Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin.

“My level of preparedness was very low compared to the other kids,” Mitchell said. “I had a lot of experience, but it was a very shallow experience. But since I was good at it, I was able to rise to the challenge.”

Mitchell went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. However, something had struck a chord.

“I learned how hard the video game industry was,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell took several child psychology classes in college, where he realized teaching kids would be a good back up option. This back up turned out to be his destined career.

“I loved it right away, and I have continued to love it all the way through,” Mitchell said.

Now, Mitchell teaches high school students the fundamentals of coding, software, and creating video games in his classes. Mitchell also encourages any of his students who want to pursue a career in computer science.

“Computer science changes too fast,” Mitchell said. “You can’t copy or cheat because you have to know it. You have to write as much code as you can, even outside of class. Don’t think you can ever stop learning.”