Brown County students and adults will get the opportunity to learn how to speak computer at the end of this month.
Cool Coding Week, a series of lessons in basic computer programming, will run from Sept. 25 through Oct. 1. The series is being sponsored by the Brown County Redevelopment Commission and the Eleven Fifty Academy.
Eleven Fifty Academy, a Fishers-based nonprofit, teaches people all ages and skill sets how to code.
The weeklong event is being paid for by the Brown County RDC and hosted by Brown County Schools, director of student learning Debbie Harman said.
Superintendent Laura Hammack said the district is excited about being able to offer the event. “This work fundamentally aligns with our commitment to better prepare our students for the 21st century workforce,” she said.
“There’s this each need for computing skills within the workforce,” Harman said. “We feel that demand. We hear it from our sectors we’re working through ROI (the grant-funded Regional Opportunities Initiative). … You’ll hear it all the time, businesses who are looking for individuals that know how to computer code.”
A group of teachers were trained last week to help Eleven Fifty Academy staff with coding lessons.
“The Cool Coding Week model empowers our educators to learn alongside the Eleven Fifty instructors, so that our students are learning along with their teachers,” Hammack said.
“We are excited to commit to sustainability of this work after the event is over, so our teachers and students can continue to enhance their coding skills.”
From kindergarten students to local adults, everyone will have a chance to learn what coding is all about during Cool Coding Week, Harman said. Students in all of the elementary schools, intermediate, junior high and high schools will be exposed to an hour of coding throughout the week.
Local adults also will be able to attend a free “intensive intro to coding” course from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1 at the CRC.
Participants will take an assessment during the course to see their aptitude for doing coding, Harman said.
“It really will give anyone interested a real idea about what coding is like, even if you just want to take the course to be able to support the concept. It’s really open to anyone with interest,” she said.
Registration information for coding events for adults will be available on the Brown County Schools website, browncountyschools.com.
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Cool Coding Week will take place in each Brown County school building as follows:
Monday – Helmsburg Elementary School
Tuesday – Brown County Intermediate and Junior High schools
Wednesday – Van Buren Elementary School
Thursday – Sprunica Elementary School
Friday – Brown County High School
Saturday – Career Resource Center (ages 16 and up)
Sunday – Career Resource Center (ages 16 and up)
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