Coding camps teach syntax. College consultants polish essays. But nothing in between gives a teen the one thing that actually stands out: a real product, live on the internet, used by real people.
They learn to follow tutorials. The project lives on their laptop and never sees a real user. It's a classroom exercise disguised as experience.
They polish the story, but can't create one. You can't essay-coach your way to a compelling extracurricular that doesn't exist yet.
A mentor who's actually done it. Someone who can help your teen go from an idea in their head to a launched product with real users behind it.
12 weekly sessions. One live product. Real users. Each phase builds on the last so your teen walks away with something tangible, not a certificate.
What's included: 12 weekly 60-minute Zoom sessions, unlimited 15-minute check-in calls between sessions, and async support via text and Discord throughout the program. Full program: $997.
I'm Adam Zheng, a junior at Campolindo High School in Moraga. When I was 15, I launched hyunGPT, an AI SaaS that grew to 100,000+ users across 27,000 Discord communities, generating five-figure annual recurring revenue. No investors, no adult co-founders. Just me building something people wanted.
Since then, I've created the largest third-party app for a popular game with 100,000 daily active players, grown entirely by word of mouth. I built an AI phone system that cuts costs by 90% and won 2nd place at the CCC Science Fair. I've had two products acquired (PenguinAI and TranslationRex). I co-founded East Bay Hackers, a nonprofit bringing free hackathons to underrepresented communities.
I've interned at AI Camp alongside YouTuber Matthew Berman (500K subscribers), and I'm currently a remote researcher at The Ohio State University. At Campolindo, I'm Team Captain of FTC Robotics, VP of Model UN, and Editor in Chief of Yearbook, all while taking AP Calc BC, AP Physics, AP CS A, and dual-enrolling in engineering, business, and marketing at Diablo Valley College.
I'm telling you this not to brag, but because this is exactly what I want to help your teen do: build something real, prove they can ship, and create a story that speaks for itself.
"I built an app and 50 real people use it every day" is a fundamentally different story than "I completed a coding bootcamp." One is a credential. The other is proof.
AP Computer Science. A coding camp certificate. Maybe a GitHub repo with tutorial projects. The same extracurriculars as 50,000 other applicants.
A live product with a real URL. Actual users who chose to use it. Metrics they can point to. A founder story they can tell in their own words, because they lived it.
A 20-minute conversation to learn about your teen's interests and see if the program is the right fit.
I tailor the 12-session arc around your teen's interests, strengths, and the type of product they want to build.
Weekly 1-on-1 sessions where we go from idea to working product. I code alongside them as a co-builder, not a lecturer.
Deploy the product live, get real users, and package the whole experience for their portfolio and applications.