Students at a school in St. Albans got the special opportunity to learn coding basics directly from the pros.
Technology giant Google brought their “CS First Roadshow” to young learners in fourth through eighth grade at P.S. 15, the Jackie Robinson School, on July 26.
In an hour-long presentation, two Google employees taught a room full of eager students technical coding and problem solving skills through a series of interactive activities. Connecting each lesson to real-life, the workshop leaders encouraged students to take an interest in coding and STEM education, which has the potential to lead them to a number of exciting education and career opportunities.
The young learners also had the opportunity to use “Scratch,” a free programming tool developed by the MIT where users can create their own interactive stories, games and animations.
“Kids are exposed to technology at such an early age, but don’t necessarily get to learn about why computer science should be an important part of their lives — both now and in the future,” said Carley Graham Garcia, a Google spokesperson. “We want the next generation of students to be able to create technology, not just consume it.”
Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman also spoke to students at the event about the importance of STEM education.
“The tech industry is projected to grow significantly in the near future, students in our community need to be ready for the careers and opportunities of the 21st-century,” the lawmaker said. “I’m proud to work with Google on our strategic vision to incorporate computer literacy and other technical curricula into schools in the 29th Assembly district. This is the first step in a series of initiatives for our community.”
To learn more about Google’s CS First program, visit their website.
