INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Capturing the excitement of Christmas morning, 11-year-old Moises de la Rosa excitedly opens a new box full of pieces to make a mining rig.
“Oh I remember with the little lights I used to take this stuff off like this,” said Moises.
In class, Moises is learning to build a skyminer mining rig. The rig was created to eventually eliminate the need for Internet service providers to offer a new, free, decentralized internet.
It works by connecting the skyminer to the current internet, but through wireless or radio. Users can connect it to an antenna on their roof and broadcast extra bandwidth to their neighbors.
The hardware runs the platform of its cryptocurrency, the skycoin. Skycoins are earned by providing the extra bandwidth.
This technology is more advanced than what can be found in a STEAM program, but camp creator Najah Roberts says this generation should know it.
“If our children do not understand, what is happening right now and what is to come, they will not be able to take a seat at the global table,” said Roberts.
More mainstream companies are expected to jump into the world of cryptocurrency and block-chain technology.
The Kids Crypto Camp comes on the heels of a company they know well – Facebook - unveiling plans to create an alternative financial system, and a digital currency called Libra. With money evolving in the digital space, these kids will leave this camp with tools they can use today.
“They will be monetizing, mining cryptocurrency, they’re going to also be trading cryptocurrency. We’re teaching them to look at this world with a whole different set of eyes,” said Roberts.
Moises puts the finishing touches on his skyminer and is excited that not only can this rig earn him skycoin cryptocurrency, but it is also helping others.
“It’s so interesting because I got to build something that can get free internet for me and my family,” said Moises.
He is excited to show off his digital wallet where every camper received $10 worth of the popular digital currency Bitcoin.
“It was 10.00, now it went to 9.91,” said Moiss.
As kids from this camp like Moises gears up for school in the fall, this camp is inspiring them to think big on how their generation will contribute to the future of money.