Rolling enrollment open. Courses prorated.
Explore now.Is cryptography a bit of an enigma to you? Do you want to learn more on how codes have worked throughout history, or how spies transmitted messages across enemy lines? Want to figure out how to keep your younger sibling out of your communications? Or just like to solve puzzles? This course is for you… There is a battle around us, a never ending arms race on two sides: One side endeavors to shroud information in secrecy, from guarded state secrets to the most mundane to-do lists. On the flip side, relentless forces strive to liberate information, breaking through barriers with unwavering determination. This timeless struggle has echoed through the ages, from the days of Caesar and will continue long after we've moved on to the stars. This is the captivating realm of cryptography and hacking, the intricate interplay of encrypting and decrypting secrets that spans generations.
Is cryptography a bit of an enigma to you? Do you want to learn how codes have worked throughout history, or how spies transmitted messages across enemy lines? If you love to solve puzzles, this course is for you.
There is a battle all around us. One side works to shroud information in secrecy, from guarded state secrets to the most mundane to-do lists. The other side strives to liberate that information, breaking through every barrier. This struggle has echoed from the days of Caesar and will continue long after we reach the stars.
This is the captivating realm of cryptography, the intricate interplay of encrypting and decrypting secrets that spans generations. Together we will work through the history of cryptography and examine its future, tracing the arms race between encryption and decryption.
Students will discover how some of the greatest codes of all time actually worked, from simple letter shifts to modern public key encryption, and then learn to apply those principles to build ciphers of their own.
Whether you want to fortify your own communications, keep a younger sibling out of your messages, or simply relish the challenge of a good puzzle, join us in the cunning world of cryptography. Are you ready to crack the code?
Cryptography is where mathematics meets computer science in a way students find genuinely exciting. Your child learns Python coding alongside the mathematical foundations of encryption. Parents tell us this is the course that finally made abstract math feel purposeful for their kid.
Every career in technology touches security in some way. Your child builds a foundation in the logic and history of cryptography that connects directly to computer science, cybersecurity, and data privacy. These are skills that only become more valuable as the world becomes more digital.
YSA is a UC-registered online publisher and WASC-accredited Supplementary Education Center, which means our courses can count toward official college credit requirements. State schools can recognize the courses your student takes here, adding real legitimacy to your homeschooling journey or building on top of your student's existing transcript. That unlocks two ways to enroll: For Credit -- Your student earns official, accredited credit toward their transcript. For-credit students complete weekly assignments that build toward their transcript grade. Outside-of-class work ranges from 1-2 hours per week. Perfect for families who want documentation that reflects what their child is actually capable of -- to show the world how brilliant they are. For Enrichment -- Your student takes the very same course purely for the love of learning. No grades, no outside-of-class work, no credit attached. Just the content, the community, and the growth. Same course. Same mentor. Same experience in class. You choose what fits your family.
If you homeschool, this works seamlessly. If your student attends another school full time, we create a report card and transcript that we share with you, and you share with the school. It is up to your primary school to accept it and add it to your student's official transcript.
Trace the history of secret codes from Caesar ciphers to the Enigma machine, understanding how and why they worked 
Learn the math and logic behind cryptographic algorithms while writing real Python code to encrypt and decrypt messages 
Tackle code-breaking challenges alongside peers who love puzzles, patterns, and the thrill of cracking something hidden 
Build the kind of analytical confidence that comes from solving problems most people never even attempt 
Hey there! I'm Alex! I've been a game developer for 10 years, and I've worked for Meta and Target. I've also developed a few games, including Totally Reliable Delivery Service (A multiplayer physics game about delivery packages poorly) and Ollie-Oop, a 3D platformer about a skateboarding dog named Ollie who goes on the adventure of his dreams! I was also a home school kid all through elementary school up until college. I love all kinds of video games, puzzles, escape rooms, mystery/detective movies, retro gaming, mechanical keyboards, cooking, and I love dogs!
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING
Parents don't just see happier kids. They see sharper thinking, stronger friendships, and a child who actually wants to log on.
★★★★★
"Alex turned my son's love of puzzles into real cryptography. He cracks ciphers for fun now and explains how Caesar's code worked to anyone who will listen."
Vera K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter learned to think like a codebreaker in Alex's course. The logical, step-by-step reasoning has carried straight into her math."
Malik K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex turned my son's love of puzzles into real cryptography. He cracks ciphers for fun now and explains how Caesar's code worked to anyone who will listen."
Vera K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter learned to think like a codebreaker in Alex's course. The logical, step-by-step reasoning has carried straight into her math."
Malik K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex makes decoding feel like a game my son cannot put down. He builds his own ciphers at home and dares us to break them."
Oksana K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter loves the history and the puzzle-solving in equal measure. Alex connects ancient codes to real encryption in a way that keeps her hooked."
Franklin K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex makes decoding feel like a game my son cannot put down. He builds his own ciphers at home and dares us to break them."
Oksana K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter loves the history and the puzzle-solving in equal measure. Alex connects ancient codes to real encryption in a way that keeps her hooked."
Franklin K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex taught my son patience and precision through cracking codes. He learned that logic and persistence solve hard problems, and that mindset shows everywhere."
Delphine K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter came in curious about secret messages and left able to build and break real ciphers. Alex made the logic feel genuinely thrilling."
Hugo K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex taught my son patience and precision through cracking codes. He learned that logic and persistence solve hard problems, and that mindset shows everywhere."
Delphine K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter came in curious about secret messages and left able to build and break real ciphers. Alex made the logic feel genuinely thrilling."
Hugo K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex turned my son's love of puzzles into real cryptography. He cracks ciphers for fun now and explains how Caesar's code worked to anyone who will listen."
Vera K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter learned to think like a codebreaker in Alex's course. The logical, step-by-step reasoning has carried straight into her math."
Malik K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex makes decoding feel like a game my son cannot put down. He builds his own ciphers at home and dares us to break them."
Oksana K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter loves the history and the puzzle-solving in equal measure. Alex connects ancient codes to real encryption in a way that keeps her hooked."
Franklin K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex taught my son patience and precision through cracking codes. He learned that logic and persistence solve hard problems, and that mindset shows everywhere."
Delphine K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter came in curious about secret messages and left able to build and break real ciphers. Alex made the logic feel genuinely thrilling."
Hugo K.
YSA parent
If you’re not 100% in love with the course, you have options depending on how you enrolled:
You can switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit or get a credit to use toward a future course.
You can either get credit toward a future course, switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit, or stop all future payments after a 30-day processing period.
No risk. No stress. Just the learning and belonging you have been looking for.
We can offer this because we know what we do works for thousands of other families. Kids become more self-confident. They find their people. And families tell us this is the place where their student finally feels welcome. We know it will work for your family, too.
All-Access Passes have separate terms and conditions. Please see the All-Access Pass pages.
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway... to qualify for the satisfaction guarantee policy, you have to actually attend the classes. This is not a cancellation policy. It’s a satisfaction guarantee. You can’t be satisfied or dissatisfied if you don’t attend.
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that offers one-of-a-kind, engaging enrichment courses and community for 5-18-year-old bright, quirky kids to empower them to develop their strengths, make like-minded friends, cultivate life skills, build confidence, and feel great about themselves under the loving care of expert mentors. description2: >- Picture a place where your child fits in, is celebrated, mentored, and loves learning the unique content their beautiful brain craves. That happens every day at YSA for over 1,200+ families, and it can happen for your family, too.
WASC Accredited · 1,200+ Families · 93% Re-Enroll · 47+ States, 17 Countries, 6 Continents
Learn more about YSAQUESTIONS ABOUT THIS COURSE
Everything you need to know before enrolling your child.
Most online classes put 20-30 kids in a room with a teacher who reads slides. At YSA, your child joins a group of 8 or fewer students who think like they do, led by a mentor who was often once just like them. Cameras are optional. The content is chosen by passion, not grade level. And 93% of families re-enroll - because kids who have never liked school before fight to log on to YSA.
Yes. YSA families join from 47+ states and 17 countries across 6 continents. All you need is an internet connection. We schedule sections across multiple time zones so families worldwide can find a time that works.
Cryptography: Codes, Puzzles, & Ciphers meets once per week for 50 minutes, every week from August through December. Your child joins the same tight-knit group of up to 8 students and the same mentor all semester long. Same friends, same mentor, a new challenge every week.
Our gifted and 2e students experience such asynchronous development that hard age limits rarely tell the full story. If your student should be aged up or aged down, contact us at support@youngscholarsacademy.org or click the chat in the bottom right corner of the screen. We do this all the time.
Please don't confuse reactive distance learning with what happens at YSA. When a kid is engaged in a course they chose, with a mentor who gets them and peers who share their interests, the screen disappears. They're not on a screen. They're with their people. Parents tell us their children fight to log on to YSA.
If your child isn't loving a course by the end of the first week, swap into a different course. Same semester. No questions. Not the right fit within the first month? We'll stop payments, switch courses, or issue credit toward any future course. The credit never expires. And you keep every bonus you've received. Over 93% of YSA families don't just stay. They add more courses.
No. Cameras are always optional. Always. Many of our students start with cameras off and turn them on when they're comfortable. Our mentors engage every student equally, cameras on or off.
No. If you're here, you're in the right place. We don't require paperwork, evaluations, or labels. Whether your child has been formally identified as gifted or twice-exceptional, whether you suspect it but haven't pursued testing, or whether you just know your kid's brain works differently and nothing else has fit, they're welcome here.
Yes. YSA is an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs including Arizona ESA, Utah Fits All, ClassWallet, My Tech High, Florida Step Up, and others. Enroll directly to secure your child's spot, submit the invoice to your ESA, and your payment method is refunded when funds transfer. Many families pay zero out of pocket.
Click "See Available Times" on this page, pick the section that fits your schedule, and your child's spot is secured immediately. No phone call. No placement test. No prerequisite.
Right now, a kid who thinks like your kid is in a course they chose, with a mentor who was once just like them, surrounded by friends who don't think they're weird... they think they're interesting.
Your child is one click from finding out what that feels like.
Paper/Scissors/Drawing utensils for creating cyphers