Ocean Lakes media center hosts the Hour of Code event twice a year, once in December and then again in March.
The Hour of Code is a non-profit, international event, organized by code.org, and takes place to help expose as many people to programming as possible, regardless of skill level, age or career path.
“[It] is a free introduction to computer science through fun activities and videos for learners of all skill levels. This year’s celebration of both coding and AI is supported by over 400 partners, 20,000 educators, and 58,000 volunteers,” according code.org.
At Ocean Lakes, this event is also open to all grades and anyone who is interested.
Students can participate if their teacher chooses to sign their class up for a visit. Classes in marketing, electronics or STEM are the most likely to partake in this session.
Over 10 stations, mainly controlled by iPads, include VR sets, drones, dash robots and coding. Two Instructional Technology Specialists, Meri Riddick and Jennifer Leary, are available to answer any questions students may have.
“Some teachers mentioned to me that they’ve never seen their students more engaged all year; if we can get more students interested [in technology], we’ve met our goal,” said Riddick.
The Hour of Code originated in December 2013, when two twin brothers, Hadi and Ali Partovi made a video promoting computer science. Hour of Code shows students that anyone can learn the basics of coding through fun activities and computer programming.
“I would recommend other students to come and check out Hour of Code. It allows students to bond together, learn new things and the basics about coding,” said senior Jayden Caldwell.
