Cross-School Programming Club "Setapro Club" Launches in Setagaya Ward for Elementary and Junior High School Students

General Incorporated Association Setapro (Location: Setagaya Ward, Tokyo; Representative Directors: Shiro Fujiwara, Masayuki Matsushita) will officially launch "Setapro Club," a programming club activity for elementary and junior high school students in Setagaya Ward that transcends grades and schools, starting in April 2026. At the club trial session held in December 2025, participating children were engrossed in programming challenges, eyes sparkling, achieving a 100% satisfaction rate in surveys. Numerous elementary and junior high school students have already applied for provisional membership, with only a few spots remaining. Preparations are underway for the start of the provisional membership period in April and official membership in May. All venues, instructors, and teaching materials are provided completely free of charge. Any elementary or junior high school student interested in programming can participate, regardless of their family's economic situation. It is a "third place" where children can truly immerse themselves, neither at school nor at home.

The Voices of Children Are the Origin of Everything

"I thought programming was really difficult, but it was great to learn that you can do interesting things by just tweaking numbers a little." (Junior high 1st grader)

"I was able to create and operate various programs myself, and the sense of accomplishment when I succeeded was amazing." (Elementary 4th grader)

These are words from elementary and junior high school students who participated in the club trial session held on December 21, 2025. All participants were so engrossed in Setapro's unique programming materials that they lost track of time.

On the same day, many voices were heard from parents.

"It was very good for my child to have the experience of actually tinkering with code and changing it as they liked. I also saw my child trying to decipher the code, which was a very good experience." (Parent of elementary 6th grader)

"It's wonderful that children can actually touch and experience PCs. It was very fun and educational." (Parent of junior high 1st grader)

Like a local baseball team, it's a place where digital-native generation children can meet friends through programming and grow together. We call it "modern-day vacant lot." In this vacant lot, there are no barriers of grade or school. Both elementary and junior high school students can immerse themselves in programming in the same place.

What Setapro Club values is the experience itself of "programming is interesting." It's not about whether it will be useful for a future job, but about the joy of creating software with their own hands and the fun of making things. It's a place where children can accumulate that original experience with adults who love programming.