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It all started during one business meeting organised by MZP โLewiatanโ, where I met Maria Kuciลska from ROPS โ Regionalny Oลrodek Pomocy Spoลecznej (Regional Center for Social Policy).
She mentioned that it was possible to establish cooperation between businesses and people whose work focuses on something more than just profit โ people who want to work despite various, not always favorable, life circumstances. At the time, I had no idea that this meeting would be the beginning of something special
A few weeks later, my Local Team of WordCamp Europe 2026 was wondering what to give to the organizers and speakers of WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe, who were coming to Krakรณw from all over the world in June 2026. Then I recalled my conversation with Maria, combined with a fondness for mascots that had grown over several WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event. organizersโ meetings, and something clicked.
I reached out to her and asked if she could help me connect with people who could make Wapuu. She put me in touch with Ms. Dorota from Warsztat Terapii Zajฤciowej (the Occupational Therapy Workshop) at 3 Basztowa Street in Krakรณw, so I arranged a meeting.
When I arrived, I instantly felt I was in the right place. The kindness of the people I met there, combined with the realization that we, as the WordPress community, could help them, got us moving quickly. The results exceeded my expectations โ the prototype of Wapuu was already waiting for me, which made my day! I simply couldnโt resist it. And since a charming Dragon was created as the second prototype it was โฆ accepted as well!
From order to handmade mascot
At that moment, production kicked off at the Workshop on Basztowa Street. But it didnโt involve setting up a few machines, threading spools, or uploading templates into software. Instead, real people divided the process into dozens of smaller steps so that everyone could get involved (and given the scale of the order and the tight deadline, they actually had to).
Some traced patterns, others cut them out, and others stitched or stuffed the mascots. Meanwhile, the embroidery machine did its job (that part is automated), but someone had to supervise it โ changing the pieces of fabric, stretching them over the embroidery hoops, and catching stray threads.
Sure, this could have been done in a factory somewhere far away, but then our Wapuus and Dragons would have just been another mass-produced item. By outsourcing the job to the Occupational Therapy Workshop, many people were able to use their skills during production, giving each mascot a deeper meaning. We got handmade mascots, and people with intellectual disabilities got work and an income that will support their social integration.
I brought them home a week before the WCEU (which instantly attracted my cat Toffeeโs attention, so I had to store them very carefully!) ๐
During WCEU Wapuus and Dragons reached the organizers, speakers, and table leads of Contributor DayContributor DayContributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/. Seeing their reactions, Iโm certain that the Wapuus and Dragons will be widely appreciated, and will give these people every reason to return to Krakรณw.
Every order placed with the Workshop is also an investment in the development of people with intellectual disabilities, fostering their independence and ultimately giving them a chance at employment. It is also a reminder that people with intellectual disabilities are not only individuals in need of care, and they have far more to offer. Thanks to this, together we can change the world and make it more open, accessible, and less driven by stereotypes and prejudice.
As for me, I already know what Iโm going to do with swag for WordCamp Krakรณw 2027 ๐
WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2026 in Krakรณw marked a significant milestone for WordPress Educational Initiatives. For the first time ever, WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event. featured a dedicated Education Table at the Contributor DayContributor DayContributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/ and Education Track, bringing together students, mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., educators, and institutional partners to explore what it truly means to learn, teach, and contribute through WordPress.
But this wasnโt just about building websites.
A New Kind of Learning
The long-term health of the project depends on something less visible than market share: a steady, growing community of contributors who understand open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL., care about its values, and have the skills to move it forward. Thatโs what WordPress educational initiatives are really about, and the direction of WordPress education has evolved to. Today, students arenโt just learning how to install a theme or configure a pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party.. They are developing critical thinking, collaborative skills, and real-world project experience using open source tools. They are discovering how to contribute back to a global community. They are learning what it means to be part of something bigger than a grade.
Growing the next generation of contributors isnโt a nice-to-have. Itโs essential to the sustainable future of WordPress as an open source project. The WordPress Credits Program, Campus Connect, and other education programs exist to create that pipeline, connecting universities, educators, and students directly with the contributor community, often for the first time. WordCamp Europe 2026 in Krakรณw was a significant milestone for these initiatives. Taking place in a city where weโve been building genuine, long-term partnerships with universities and technical schools.
Student Showcase: Real Projects, Real Skills
One of the highlights of the Education Track was the Student Showcase, featuring work from students at Krakรณw University of Technology, Krakรณw University of Economics, and VIII LO high school. These werenโt toy projects. Students presented work developed over a full semester, demonstrating how they incorporated WordPress into advanced, professional-grade workflows.
The standout project was WapuuGo โ a gamified WordPress learning platform designed for children aged 10 to 14. Students create blogs, share their work with peers, earn badges, and unlock custom Wapuu characters as they progress through the curriculum. The platform includes dedicated areas for teachers and parents, and itโs built entirely on WordPress. Itโs a creative, thoughtful project that demonstrates just how versatile the platform can be when students approach it as a tool for solving real problems rather than just a CMS to learn.
What made it stand out was the approach: students werenโt just told to โmake a website.โ They were challenged to use WordPress as a tool to solve real problems, build creative projects, and reflect on how open source technology integrates into modern work, bring ideas to life, and create things with purpose.
Big shoutout to @tadamarketing, Joanna Micek, and @twloczkowski, who were the project leads for the student groups.
What It Really Means to Be Part of the WP Credits Program
The WordPress Credits Program is often misunderstood as purely technical or contributor-focused. In reality, it is a bridge between business, education, and open source community values.
@organvlasti, a WordPress Credits mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., took to the stage to break down what participation in the program actually looks like from a business and mentorship perspective. She shared how companies can support educational initiatives in a meaningful way, and featured a student whose path was shaped by that collaboration.
This talk is a must-watch for anyone considering institutional or business involvement in WordPress education.
A highlight from our university partnerships
A reflection of how deeply we collaborate with local educational institutions came in the form of a talk by @dannykrk of Krakรณw University of Technology. In โThe New Engineer: Psychology, Systems, and Open Source,โ Daniel explored how the role of the engineer is evolving, and the place open source communities play in shaping that. Itโs a thought-provoking contribution from a partner who has become a real part of this community.
A recognition from Krakรณw University of Technology
One of the most meaningful moments of WCEU 2026 happened on the main stage at the beginning of Fireside Chat & Q&A. Krakรณw University of Technology presented a formal institutional recognition to @matt, co-founder of WordPress and CEO of Automattic, in acknowledgment of his contributions to open source, education, and the open web. The award was presented by Natalia Ryลko on behalf of the university, and accepted by @4thhubbard in Mattโs name.
The letter from Rector Professor Andrzej Szarata expressed the universityโs alignment with the values WordPress has long stood for: that knowledge should be shared, that technology should serve society, and that a universityโs responsibility extends beyond its own walls. It also acknowledged the collaboration already underway between Krakรณw University of Technology, the WordPress FoundationWordPress FoundationThe WordPress Foundation is a charitable organization founded by Matt Mullenweg to further the mission of the WordPress open source project: to democratize publishing through Open Source, GPL software. Find more on wordpressfoundation.org., and the broader WordPress community, pointing to student projects presented at WCEU as a tangible result of that partnership.
Itโs a moment that speaks to something larger. When a major technical university formally recognizes the impact of an open source project and its educational initiatives, it signals that this work is being taken seriously at an institutional level. That kind of validation opens doors, and we look forward to building on it.
The event started strong on July 4th, 2026 at the WCEU Contributor Day, where the Education Table brought together one of the most engaged and diverse groups of the day.
It opened with introductions and a simple but powerful framing: Whatโs your background? Whatโs your campus or education experience? From there, the group moved into open brainstorming and discussion, and contributions came from two perspectives: students and mentors on one side, and institution representatives on the other.
What Students and Mentors Brought Up
The student and mentor group generated rich feedback and ideas, including:
Creating a new fellowship model for mentors, enabling them to prototype and design solutions for their own institutions (new programs, communication campaigns, internal platforms)
Adding a Human-Centered Design (HCD) module to the course to foster creative and solutions-oriented thinking
Building a contribution wizard tool directly into the course to help students navigate where they can get involved
Creating a contribution or project dashboard so students can clearly see open tasks and needs
Addressing the confusion between WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ and WordPress.comWordPress.comAn online implementation of WordPress code that lets you immediately access a new WordPress environment to publish your content. WordPress.com is a private company owned by Automattic that hosts the largest multisite in the world. This is arguably the best place to start blogging if you have never touched WordPress before. https://wordpress.com/ in the course curriculum, which currently leads to disorientation
Dividing the course into technical and non-technical tracks to better serve different audiences
Improving language clarity throughout course materials and documentation
Institution reps came with strategic and structural thinking:
Developing an elevator pitch presentation specifically designed to help universities understand and join the program
Defining clear next steps for students after graduation, including the concept of a WPCredits Alumni Club
Framing contributions as a genuine career path, not just a classroom exercise
Making the course available in multiple languages
Encouraging participating institutions to collaborate with each other, rather than working in silos
Creating a mini-grant program, co-funded with institutions, to sponsor student projects
Introducing modern, relevant tools to the curriculum (for example, exploring an education partnership with Figma)
Developing audience-specific courses and certifications: WordPress for Business Owners, for Designers, for Project Managers, and so on
A Broader Request
One idea that surfaced from multiple directions: move Education to the WordPress.org main menu. Itโs a small change with a big symbolic and practical impact, signaling that education is a first-class part of the WordPress ecosystem.
Also running on Contributor Day was Akademia WordPressa, a beginner-focused workshop initiative organized by the local Polish WordPress community. For the first time in WCEU history, the event included dedicated hands-on workshops for people who had never used WordPress before.
The concept originated at WordCamp Krakรณw 2024 and made its WCEU debut this year, with a four-hour curriculum running entirely in Polish and aimed at the local community. Participants built their first website from scratch using WordPress Playground, learned to work with the blockBlockBlock is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. editor, explored how AI tools can assist in content creation and site planning, and then found and fixed intentional accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both โdirect accessโ (i.e. unassisted) and โindirect accessโ meaning compatibility with a personโs assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) and SEO errors in their own sites as a practical learning exercise. No coding required, no prior experience needed.
The session accommodated 40 participants, and all materials including the agenda, site project, exercise list, and facilitator notes are being published after the event so future organizers can freely adapt, translate, and reuse them.
This is exactly the spirit the Education initiatives are trying to scale. A community-led, low-barrier entry point into WordPress and open source, built by people who care about bringing new voices into the ecosystem. A dedicated post about the Akademia is coming soon, with a deeper look at the format, how it ran, and how other communities can pick it up and run it at their own events.
The hope is that Akademia WordPressa grows into a fixture at flagship WordPress events worldwide.
Looking Ahead
WCEU 2026 in Krakรณw was proof that WordPress education is growing up. The first-ever Education Track, a packed Contributor Day Table, and new institutional partnerships forming all point to a community that is taking education seriously.
The next step is to follow up with the mentors, institutional representatives, and supporters who contributed ideas during the Contributor Day Education Table. The session generated a rich list of proposals, from fellowship models and contribution dashboards to multilingual course materials and alumni pathways. Those conversations donโt stop when the event ends. Iโll be working through the ideas raised, engaging the people who raised them, and turning the most actionable ones into concrete next steps for the program.
The work continues. If you are a WordCamp organizer, university, educator, mentor, or student interested in getting involved with WordPress Educational Initiatives, WordPress Credits or Campus Connect, reach out. There is a place for you here.
The Community Team chat usually takes place on the first Thursday of every month in the #community-team channel on SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. This monthโs meeting was pushed from June 4 to June 11 due to WordCamp Europe 2026.
This meeting is meant for all contributors on the team and everyone who is interested in taking part in the work the Community Team does. Feel free to join, even if you are not currently active in the team.
As we tried last month, weโll run this as a single open meeting starting on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 12:00 UTC, and keep the discussion open for 12 hours. Drop in whenever works for you, leave your check-in and thoughts on any of the topics below, and carry on with your day. The May meeting used this same open 12-hour format. (Make WordPress)
If you wish to add points to discuss, comment on this post or reach out to one of the Community Team reps. It does not need to be a blog post yet; the topic can also be discussed during the meeting.
Check-ins: Program and event supporters / Contributors
Please share your updates in the meeting thread:
What have you been doing and how is it going?
What did you accomplish after the last meeting?
Are there any blockers?
Can other team members help you in some way?
Highlights to note
Here are a few things everyone should be aware of:
How to Bring Your Community to Make WordPress Slack โ Local meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. groups, locale communities, and flagship events can now request dedicated channels in Make WordPress Slack. Communities are asked to join #community-slack-migration and share their group name, Meetup.com URLURLA specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a websiteโs URL www.wordpress.org or equivalent community page, and the channels they need created. This was listed as the latest Community Team post on June 9. (Make WordPress)
Open Source Starts in the Classroom: WordPress Education in Poland โ A look at how WordPress Credits, Campus Connect, and student showcases are growing in Poland, including university and high school participation ahead of WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2026. (Make WordPress)
WCEU 2026 Contributor Day: Community Team Agenda โ The Community Team table at WordCamp Europe focused on meetup program health, GatherPress, contributor onboarding, the Contributor Dashboard, and hands-on support tasks. This meeting is a good place to collect follow-up reflections and action items from WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event.. (Make WordPress)
Announcements
Community Slack migrationMigrationMoving the code, database and media files for a website site from one server to another. Most typically done when changing hosting companies.: Communities interested in joining Make WordPress Slack can now begin requesting channels through #community-slack-migration. This is especially relevant for local meetup communities, locale groups, and event teams that want to connect more directly with the broader WordPress project. Link: How to Bring Your Community to Make WordPress Slack
WordCamp India 2027 host city applications: Applications are open until the end of June 2026. The review by Community Team managers is expected in mid-July, with the host city announcement planned for early August 2026. Link: WordCamp India 2027: Whatโs Next?
This is your chance to discuss things that werenโt on the meeting agenda.
We invite you to use this opportunity to share anything you want with the team. If you have a topic youโd like to discuss, add it to the comments of this post and weโll try to update the agenda accordingly.
Hereโs how to get your community set up Join the #community-slack-migration channel in Make WordPress SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ and post a request with: * Your group name * Your Meetup.com URLURLA specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a websiteโs URL www.wordpress.org or equivalent community page * A list of any channels that need to be created
Weโll work with you to take care of the rest and let you know the timing based on your needs. What youโll get: A dedicated channel in Make WordPress Slack where your members can connect, share updates, and connect with the broader WordPress project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What about our message history?
We can import messages. File imports arenโt currently supported, but existing workspace exports can be converted to HTMLHTMLHTML is an acronym for Hyper Text Markup Language. It is a markup language that is used in the development of web pages and websites. and stored in Google Drive so your history isnโt lost. Just mention it in your request and weโll work with you on it.
What if we need more than one channel?
Start with your main channel and see how it goes. If your community grows and needs more structure โ separate channels for docs, events, or dev discussion, for example โ we can work with you on that.
What about private channels for organizers?
Private organizer channels are handled case-by-case. Just mention it in your request.
Do our members need a WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ account?
Yes, a WordPress.org account is required to join Make WordPress Slack. If your members donโt have one yet, they can create one here.
Ready to get started? Drop a request in #community-slack-migration and weโll get your community connected.
Many thanks to @_dorsvenabili@kossmann@nilovelez@supernovia and all the early adopters from BlackPress, Spain, Brazil, Pakistan, Japan, Italy, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, India, and more!!
When people ask me what Iโve been working on lately, the answer usually involves students, professors, and open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. contributions. Something has been quietly building in Poland on the WordPress education front, and I think itโs time to share whatโs been happening.
Iโve been coordinating WordPress Educational Initiatives in the Central and Eastern Europe region for a while now, and Poland has become one of the most exciting places to watch. Hereโs a look at what weโve built so far.
Universities Joining the WP Credits Program
The WordPress Credits Program connects students with real open source contributions, and Polish universities have been embracing this in a genuine way. Students arenโt just learning WordPress as a tool; theyโre becoming contributors to a project that powers a significant portion of the web. For many of them, itโs the first time they realize that open source is something they can actively participate in, not just consume.
Seeing students submit their first contributions, earn their credit badges, and start to understand how a global open source community actually works has been one of the most rewarding parts of this work. What makes the Polish context interesting is the strong technical culture in Polish higher education, students come in with solid foundations, and the Credits Program gives them a meaningful way to apply that to something real and lasting.
Campus Connect Events
Alongside the Credits Program, weโve been running WordPress Campus Connect events in Poland. These are hands-on sessions that bring WordPress into the classroom in a direct, practical way, connecting students with the broader community and giving them a taste of what contributor culture looks and feels like.
The events have been a great bridge between academic learning and the open source world. For a lot of students, meeting people from the WordPress community, hearing how others got involved, and realizing theyโre already contributing to something global is the moment things click.
High Schools Stepping In
One of the developments Iโm most excited about is whatโs been happening at the secondary school level. VIII LO, a high school in Krakow, has students actively working on WordPress-related projects. This mirrors a broader direction in the WP Credits Program to explore contributions beyond universities, and itโs been incredible to see younger students take it seriously.
These students arenโt just building websites. Theyโre engaging with real problems, thinking about users, and learning what it means to create something that others will actually use. And some of them will be presenting their work at WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2026 in Krakow, which makes this particularly full-circle: theyโre in the host city, theyโre local students, and theyโll be sharing their WordPress journey with an international audience.
Whatโs Coming at WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event. 2026
Speaking of WCEU: as part of the Education programming at WordCamp Europe this year, students from Krakow University of Technology, Krakow University of Economics, and VIII LO will be showcasing the projects theyโve built during their involvement in WordPress educational initiatives. Having local students present at a flagship WordPress event is a big deal, and itโs a testament to how far this work has come.
Why This Matters
Rita Robles wrote beautifully about what the WP Credits Program means to her in Costa Rica: seeing students go from never having heard of open source to becoming active contributors, building real portfolios, and connecting to a global community. I feel the same way about whatโs happening in Poland.
The thing that keeps me going in those initiatives is the moment when a student stops thinking of themselves as someone who uses technology and starts seeing themselves as someone who builds it. That shift happens across cultures, in Krakow just as much as in Cartago.
Weโre still building. More institutions are in conversation about joining the Credits Program, more Campus Connect events are in the pipeline, and the student showcase at WCEU is going to open some doors. Poland is very much in motion.
If youโre an educator in Poland or elsewhere in CEE and youโre curious about bringing WordPress into your institution, reach out. Thereโs a place for you in this program.
Maciej โMattโ Pilarski is a Community WranglerWranglerSomeone, usually a person part of event organizing team, who looks after certain things like budget or sponsors. at Automattic, coordinating WordPress Educational Initiatives in Central and Eastern Europe and Asia, part of the WCEU 2026 Local Team in Krakow.
Welcome to the Monthly Education Buzz Report, your go-to source for highlights and updates on the WordPress Campus Connect, WordPress Credits, and WordPress Student Club education initiatives within the WordPress community. This report aims to celebrate, promote, and inform individuals across the WordPress community and beyond about the diverse educational endeavors underway.
WordPress Campus Connect
WordPress Campus Connect (WPCC) closed out May with the programโs strongest numbers yet. The program has now completed 25 events in 2026 and 45 events all time, reaching more than 6,200 total attendees across its lifetime. Six events are currently scheduled, and 31 more are in setup or early planning stages โ the largest pipeline the program has seen. If youโre working on an application or just getting started, the #campusconnect channel in the Make WordPress SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ is the right place to connect with the team and get your questions answered.
Completed Events
WPCC National Taitung University, Taiwan (May 24)
WordPress Campus Connect National Taitung University brought the program to Taiwan for the first time, welcoming students to a day of hands-on WordPress learning in Taitung. The event extends WPCCโs reach further across Asia Pacific and adds another new country to the programโs growing global map.
WPCC Masaka, Uganda
The WPCC Masaka multi-session program wrapped up in May after running since mid-April. The program introduced students in the Masaka region to WordPress and open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL., continuing the strong and sustained presence Campus Connect has built across Uganda, where it has now held events in Jinja, Lira, Kaliro, Masaka, and Kakumiro.
Upcoming and Scheduled Events
The following events are currently scheduled and open for registration or tracking:
WordPress Campus Connect Dhakaย โ Dhaka, Bangladesh (ongoing through August 31)
WordPress Campus Connect UCR Sede del Pacรญfico Esparzaย โ Puntarenas, Costa Rica (August 29)
With 31 events in planning, the second half of 2026 is shaping up to be the busiest stretch in the programโs history. If youโre an educator or community organizer interested in hosting a Campus Connect event, you can apply here.
WPCC LleidaWPCC University of RajshahiWPCC University of RajshahiWPCC Liceo La Paz A CoruรฑaWPCC Liceo La Paz A Coruรฑa
Streamlining the Application Pipeline
The WPCC team has been building toward a faster, more consistent experience for applicants. On May 8, Isotta Peira and Rocรญo Valdivia published a detailed post outlining plans to automate the steps in the application process that currently require the most manual effort: vetting, status transitions, organizer emails, and site creation. A vetting agent โ already built by @piyopiyofox and being tested by @clk87 โ will run hourly, write notes to the tracker, and move applications to a new โNeeds Actionโ status so a human reviewer can take it from there.
The application form will also be updated to include a checkbox where applicants confirm the WPCC organizer agreement, removing the need for a separate agreement document. As a helpful clarification for anyone navigating the process: a venue agreement is not required for WPCC events held on campus with a professor present, as participants are typically covered by institutional insurance. The full technical plan is tracked in GitHub issue #1714. If youโve vetted WPCC applications, or if youโve been an organizer waiting on approval, feedback is welcome on GitHubGitHubGitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the โpull requestโ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/ or in the comments of the Make post.
Not long after, the Guadalajara WordPress Community in Mexico โ roughly 6,000 miles from Elenaโs home โ used that same guide to organize their own photo walk. One studentโs contribution, completed as part of her coursework, found its way to a community on a different continent and helped them run a better event. Elena contributed to the WordPress Photos team, which gains translated resources for global organizers. The Guadalajara community gained a ready-made guide in their language. And the open source ecosystem grew in exactly the way itโs supposed to โ outward, and further than anyone expected.
This kind of contribution is exactly what WordPress Credits is designed to make possible: real work, with real downstream value, done by students who are just getting started.
What First-Time MentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. Are Learning
On May 12, Jos Velasco published What Weโre Learning from First-Time WP Credits Mentors: A Story from the Field on Make WordPress Community. The post walks through his experience guiding three students โ each with a different pace, a different path, and a different relationship to open source โ through their first contributions. Itโs an honest, useful read that any current or prospective mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. will recognize.
One of Josโs takeaways is worth lifting here: students who contribute most meaningfully arenโt the ones who rush to finish โ theyโre the ones who find a project that feels genuinely worth doing. He also raises a question worth discussing across teams: what if contributing teams shared a short, timely list of what would actually be most useful right now, so students could choose tasks with clear downstream value? If youโre a team repTeam RepA Team Rep is a person who represents the Make WordPress team to the rest of the project, make sure issues are raised and addressed as needed, and coordinates cross-team efforts. or an active mentor with thoughts on this, his post has space for that conversation.
Program Updates
Fidรฉlitas University in Costa Rica launched its second cohort of WordPress Credits students on May 11, making it one of the first partner institutions to complete a full program cycle and return for a second round. New students from Fidรฉlitas and other partner institutions are arriving throughout the month, and mentors are actively welcoming them into the relevant Slack channels and contribution areas.
On the mentor side, @marianosarmiento completed the mentor course this month, and @Sumit Singh has been actively guiding students who are contributing to the Core team. @Alvaro Gรณmez proposed an idea now being piloted in the program: connecting students with NGOs for their internship hours, giving students a meaningful contribution pathway while creating real value for civil society organizations. Itโs a natural extension of the programโs ethos, and one worth watching as the pilot develops.
A workshop was also held in May to introduce students to Weglot, one of WordPress Creditsโ tool sponsors, which offers students free access to a full year of the Weglot Business Plan (a โฌ290 value) for website translation. Recordings of the workshop will be made available on WordPress.TV for students and mentors who want to review the material or catch up at their own pace.
WordPress Student Clubs
May brought two concrete milestones on the student club side. The Esparza Student Club at UCR Sede del Pacรญfico officially formed and held its inaugural event on May 20 in Esparza, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, with 50 students participating. The club adds another organized, student-led presence to the Campus Connect pipeline in Central America, where WordPress education has been building steadily.
The St Philomena College, Puttur student club in India also published its website this month, giving the club a public presence on campus and within the broader WordPress community.
Conversations are ongoing about how to make club websites easier to launch. One proposal gaining traction is a one-page format, with details pre-filled from tracker data to lower the setup burden for student organizers. The goal is a polished starting point that doesnโt require a team to build from scratch. If youโre thinking about starting a student club at your institution, the WordPress Student Club Guide is the right place to begin.
Other Happenings
Education Gets a Spotlight at WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2026
WordCamp Europe 2026 takes place June 4โ6 at the ICE Krakรณw Congress Centre in Krakรณw, Poland, and education has emerged as one of the clearest threads running through this yearโs program. Day two of the conference includes a dedicated education track:
Panel: Rethinking Learning in WordPressย โ featuring WordPress Executive Director Mary Hubbard, Training Team rep Rade Jekic, CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. Team rep Benjamin Zekavica, Natalia Basiura, and Klaus Harris
Mary Hubbard on Why Education Matters for WordPress
In May, the WordCamp Europe Insights podcast published episode 10: Why Education Could Shape the Next Era of WordPress. WordPress Executive Director Mary Hubbard joins host Kasia Janoska for a wide-ranging conversation covering WordPress Credits, Campus Connect, mentoring, AI, and the case for bringing WordPress into educational institutions earlier and more broadly. Itโs a good listen ahead of the conference, and an accessible entry point for anyone who wants to understand what these programs are building toward. Find it on YouTube or Spotify.
The WordPress.org/news post previewing WordCamp Europe 2026 also spotlights education as a defining theme this year, noting the full track of sessions on contributor onboarding, university partnerships, and open source learning that make this yearโs program one of the most education-forward in the conferenceโs history.
When we started WPCredits at Universidad Fidรฉlitas, I knew it was an important project, but I didnโt fully grasp everything it would come to mean. Today, looking back, I realize that in a short time weโve built something worth talking about. And since this is a journey thatโs still very much open, I want to share it exactly as Iโm living it.
From 158 to 185 students
We launched our first cohort with 158 students. That number already felt big to me, especially thinking about the logistics of supporting that many people well, making sure no one falls through the cracks. Today weโre 185 active students, spread across 6 schedules.
That split across schedules isnโt a minor detail. When you work with large groups, the temptation is to put everyone in the same space and run through the content all at once. We chose the opposite: dividing into six schedules precisely so we could offer close support, answer real questions, and make sure every student feels thereโs someone paying attention to their progress. Contributing to WordPress for the first time can be intimidating, and that support is the difference between someone who stays and someone who drops out.
Five professors who joined as mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.
If I had to pick the thing Iโm proudest of in this cohort, it isnโt the student numbers: itโs that we brought in 5 professors as mentors.
To me, this is key. Itโs one thing to have motivated students learning to contribute, and quite another to have faculty fully involved in mentoring, guiding them step by step. These professors understand both sides of the coin: the dynamics of the classroom, with its timelines and academic demands, and the dynamics of the WordPress community, which runs on its own logic of contribution, collaboration, and open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL.. Having someone who can translate between those two worlds makes the student experience far more solid.
Faculty Mentors for the WP Credits Program at Universidad Fidรฉlitas
Why this program is so meaningful to me
Beyond the numbers, what truly moves me about WPCredits is seeing who weโre reaching. We are bringing new generations to WordPress.
Iโm talking about students who, in many cases, had never heard of open source, who didnโt know that behind WordPress thereโs a global community of people contributing their time and work openly. When they discover that they too can contribute in a real wayโthat their work gets recorded, that it becomes part of a project powering a huge portion of the webโsomething shifts in how they see themselves. They stop being mere users of technology and become people who build it. And along the way, they put together an authentic professional portfolio, with verifiable contributions that carry real weight in the job market.
Planting that seed in young people, opening that door for them, is what makes this program so much more than an institutional task for me.
The new step: WPCredits reaches high schools
And because the idea has always been to keep moving forward, weโve taken a step that has me especially excited: together with @peiraisotta, weโve launched a WPCredits pilot in high schools.
This pilot is part of the broader WPCredits initiativeโan effort to explore how the program can reach beyond universities and open its doors to secondary education. Working alongside Isotta to bring this vision to life has been a real privilege, and it speaks to the programโs commitment to growing the community from the ground up.
The first school to join is the Liceo HHC Experimental Bilingรผe Josรฉ Figueres Ferrer in Cartago, Costa Rica. There, 13 tenth-grade students will begin this process as part of their Student Community Service requirement. I find this point especially valuable: instead of fulfilling their community service with a one-off, isolated activity, these young people will do it by contributing to an international project, with real and verifiable impact. Their community service becomes a formative, technical experience that connects them to a global community.
Itโs the first time WPCredits reaches secondary education, and to me, it represents opening an entirely new door. These students are younger; theyโre at a different stage, and seeing how they respond to this challenge is going to teach us a great deal.
Because thatโs the other important point: this pilot isnโt a standalone event. Itโs designed as a foundation, a model that can be replicated and improved so that, starting next year, more high schools can join the initiative. Weโre beginning with one, with 13 students, but the programโs sights are set on something much bigger.
Yesterday, during the first session with the group of students at the Josรฉ Figueres Ferrer Experimental Bilingual High School
Moving forward
When I put all of this togetherโthe growth of the cohort, the professors who joined as mentors, the new students arriving at WordPress, and now high schools entering the pictureโitโs clear to me that weโre on the right path.
WPCredits, for me, turned out to be much more than a program: itโs a way of building community, of making room for new generations, and of showing that from Costa Rica we can contribute to a global project.
This is only the beginning. And we keep moving forward.
By the WordPress Ibarra, Ecuador Community โ May 2026
Ibarra now has its own WordPress community. What started as a conversation among passionate people at events across Latin America has become something real: on May 29th, we are holding our first in-person meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. in the city.
This is our story โ and itโs only just beginning.
The Beginning: A Vision Built Step by Step
It all started at meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. organized by the Latin American WordPress community. Being part of those spaces โmeeting dedicated people, attending workshops, and accessing resources through WordPress.orgโ planted a question that kept growing: why doesnโt Ibarra have its own community?
Over time, that question stopped being just an idea and turned into a project. In October 2025, the official WP Ibarra group on Meetup.com was registered, and with that, the community took its official shape. There were plenty of doubts along the way โ but even more enthusiasm to start contributing.
One of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been the support from other Latin American communities. Seeing how each one contributes, grows, and leads by example was a huge motivation for us. Across the region, there are large, well-established communities โ and there are communities like ours, just getting started. But fresh ideas and a genuine desire to give back to your local community are worth just as much as years of experience.
First Steps: Virtual, but Very Real
Before meeting in person, the community was already active. Through our Instagram, we started sharing our mission, posting content about WordPress, and inviting people from Ibarra to join our events.
In February 2026, we held our first virtual meetup. For a first-ever event, bringing together nearly 10 people online was already a clear sign: there was something here, and it was worth building.
Then came a particularly exciting milestone: in May, we had the opportunity to present our community at the Universidad Tรฉcnica del Norte. It was a truly enriching experience where we covered topics on WordPress, the Latin American community, our local community, and the WordPress Credits program โ an initiative that sparked great interest among both students and university staff.
And we didnโt stop there. At that same institution, we also introduced the community at a local entrepreneurship fair, where several attendees were eager to learn how WordPress could be a real tool for growing their businesses. We invited all of them to our upcoming event, so they can learn more about WordPress and everything we have planned ahead.
The Big Step: See You in Person on May 29th
Reaching this point feels special. Over these months, many people have reached out with interest in joining the community โ to share what they know and to learn alongside others.
On May 29th, we will meet in person for the very first time. This meetup is more than just an event โ itโs the beginning of something we want to build consistently: an active local community where people from Ibarra can learn, connect, and grow together around WordPress.
We hope this gathering strengthens the bonds with those who have already been part of this journey, opens the door to new people who want to join what is being built here, and also inspires other regional communities across Ecuador that have not yet taken that first step. Because when a local community comes alive, everyone grows.
WordPress Community in Ibarra, Ecuador โ Presentation of the Ibarra WordPress Community to the UTN, May 2026
WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2026 is just around the corner (do you have your ticket?), and Contributor Day in Krakรณw is shaping up to be one of the most focused and action-packed in recent memory. If youโre joining the Community Team table on June 4, hereโs what to expect.
No matter where you are in your WordPress journey (first-time contributor or seasoned organizer) youโre welcome here.
๐ Schedule
08:30 Registration 09:15 Opening and welcome 10:00 Contributing to WordPress โ Community Team welcome and onboarding 12:15 Group photo 12:30 Lunch 14:00 Contributing to WordPress โ Letโs keep collaborating 16:30 Teams summaries and wrap-up
๐ก What weโll be working on
This year, the Community Team table has a clear focus: meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and contributor onboarding tools. Hereโs whatโs on the table:
๐บ๏ธ MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. program health: our main focus.
The meetup program is one of the most important pipelines for growing the WordPress community worldwide, and we want to work on it together. Come ready to:
Review and discuss the state of meetup groups in your region
Explore what makes meetups thrive and what gets in the way
Contribute to outreach and reactivation strategies for dormant groups
Share ideas for improving the meetup organizer experience globally
๐ ๏ธ GatherPress.
As part of our ongoing work on the meetup program, weโll also have space to discuss GatherPress, a WordPress-native event management tool being evaluated as the future of meetup coordination. If youโve tested it, used it, or just have questions, come share your experience. Organizer feedback is exactly what the project needs.
๐ Contributor Dashboard, open to all teams.
The Contributor Dashboard is a project that touches every corner of the WordPress contributor ecosystem, and Francesco di Candia (@francescodicandia) will be leading this conversation at our table.
Weโre especially hoping to hear from contributors across different teams, not just Community. If youโre from CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., Training, Polyglots, Documentation, or anywhere else: come by for a bit. Your perspective on what a useful contributor dashboard looks like is exactly the input that will shape it.
Weโll be exploring:
What data and recognition matter most to contributors
How the dashboard can support retention and make the contributor journey more visible
What would have helped you get started or keep going
๐ ๏ธ Process Q&A and hands-on tasks.
For those who want to get into the weeds: thereโll be space to vet meetup and WordCamp applications, triage HelpScout conversations, and answer questions from newer supporters and organizers.
๐ Onboarding for new contributors.
Never contributed to the Community Team before? This is the perfect place to start. Weโll walk you through what we do, how decisions get made, and how you can plug in, no technical background required.
๐ A note on the Education table
This year, thereโs a dedicated Education table run independently by Maciej Pilarski (@gomp), where youโll be able to discuss WordPress learning initiatives (WordPress Campus Connect, WordPress Credits, WordPress Student Clubs), lesson plans, and educational programs. If thatโs your area of interest, head there, and feel free to move between tables throughout the day.
๐ค Want to help facilitate?
The table will be led by me, but more voices are always better. If youโre a Program ManagerProgram ManagerProgram Managers (formerly Super Deputies) are Program Supporters who can perform extra tasks on WordCamp.org like creating new sites and publishing WordCamps to the schedule., Program SupporterProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook., or Event SupporterEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. attending Contributor DayContributor DayContributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/, consider stepping up to:
Help onboard newcomers
Guide a specific discussion
Take notes and capture action points
๐ Note takers are especially welcome. We want to leave the day with clear takeaways, not just good conversations.
Come with an idea. Leave with a team to help you make it happen.
