11-Year-Old Izmir Prodigy Shines at 2026 World Programming Competition

A Historic Victory in the Global Tech Arena

On July 18, 2026, the technology world witnessed the brilliance of one of Turkey's youngest talents. Egehan Şahinoğlu, an 11-year-old student at the Science and Art Center (BİLSEM) in the Gaziemir district of Izmir, achieved remarkable success in the prestigious international Coolest Projects Online Showcase 2026, organized by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in the UK. This competition, featuring over 15,000 participants from 40 countries, served as a platform to showcase the digital creativity of the new generation [1][3].

Egehan, participating as Turkey's sole representative at this level, captured the attention of international judges with his creative project titled 'Viridia - Back to the World' and received the special 'Broadcom Coding with Commitment' award [2].

Viridia: A Story to Save Earth's Future

Egehan's project is more than just simple coding; it is an educational game designed around environmental crises and water scarcity. The game's story is set in the year 2056, where an astronaut travels into space in search of a clean planet due to Earth's severe pollution. He reaches a planet named 'Viridia,' where he learns from extraterrestrial beings how they protected their natural resources. The astronaut then returns to Earth to apply what he learned to save humanity [3].

Technically, the game is designed in two parts. In the first part, the player must navigate a 3D maze to collect water drops while avoiding symbols of excessive consumerism such as gold, meat, and unnecessary clothing. The second part of the game is dedicated to the correct use of the collected water in agriculture and plant irrigation [2][3].

Linking Technology with Sustainable Development Goals

One of the primary reasons for Egehan's selection for this award was his project's alignment with the United Nations' sixth Sustainable Development Goal (Clean Water and Sanitation). The competition judges praised the precision of the coding architecture and the deep social impact of the game in raising awareness among children regarding water conservation [1][2].

Egehan's mother, Pınar Şahinoğlu, mentioned in an interview that they have always encouraged Egehan to become a producer in the digital world rather than just a consumer. She emphasized that digital tools, if properly guided, can unlock children's hidden potential [3].

Future Outlook: Software Engineering

This great success has redoubled Egehan's motivation to pursue a professional path in the tech world. He announced that his future goal is to become a prominent software engineer to contribute more significantly to his country's technological progress. Egehan's victory against global programming giants is a clear message to all teenagers that with creativity and perseverance, one can transcend geographical borders and be influential on a global scale [1][2].