Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader
Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader
Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader
FORTY FORT — Students from kindergarten through eighth grade enthusiastically reported to school Saturday at Wyoming Seminary.
What had the students heading to the classroom on a weekend morning without a gripe? The "Beyond the Hour: Kids Who Code" program, part of an international effort to teach children how to write computer code.
The program prepares children for future careers, logical thinking and recreational opportunities, according to event organizers.
"Children might like to play computer games, but now they have a chance to create them, to truly understand them," Wyoming Seminary sixth-grade literacy teacher Janel McCormick said.
The event encouraged children to be creators rather than consumers, she added.
Coding activities, broken down by age group, had children programming "Bee Bots" around a grid, designing lines for an "Ozobot" to follow according to code and using computers to design and understand video games.
Jill Carrick, science chairperson at the school, said participants were "excited, engaged and motivated."
Teaching kids to think logically, McCormick said, is always a win.
Solomon Elementary first-grader Ann McDougal was having fun as she helped program a bright yellow bee, complete with lights, to move around a grid.
"I really didn't know much about this before. It's really fun," said McDougal, who seemed comfortable as she pressed a series of buttons directing the movement of the bee.
Seminary teacher Natalie Granger pointed out to participants that the lights and sounds of the bee reassured them they were programming the colorful little creature correctly.
Christina Cikowski of Shavertown joined the older students in front of a computer using code in various languages, including JavaScript and Python, to create art and games.
"I think that it's really inspirational and educational," she said. "You can do anything."
The program, which was open to the public, provided an opportunity for Seminary to reach out to the community, according to Gail Smallwood, director of communications at the school.
"This year many participants have said teachers from their homes schools have encouraged them to come out and participate in coding activities," she said.
Carrick said she originally viewed coding as something for older children.
"We didn't really have the resources to offer it to younger children," she said. "But now we do."
Coding, she said, is an opportunity to learn to slow down and think things out, to problem solve and to think logically.
She also emphasized the importance of balance.
"We teach the students to use technology, but we also teach them when they need to put it away," she said.
The event was sponsored by the school's STEM program, a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons
