In collaboration with Science in Society, we are developing an introductory course in Python programming. By means of a series of "escape room"-like challenges driven by a narrative, we aim to present an engaging and playful course that fosters excitement about coding among early high-schoolers. The course infrastructure will be web-based and tailored to smartphones, intended to increase the likelihood of student engagement "beyond the classroom" among a younger demographic that has easier access to smartphones than to computers. Through the course's use of Python, the students will gain familiarity with a highly capable and abundant programming language, acquiring experience and skills that are increasingly relevant to employment.