PORT TOWNSEND — Blue Heron Middle School students participating in this week’s Hour of Code program will learn beneficial skills that will enrich their lives for years, according to the school’s principal.
“We are providing them with 21st century skills and opportunities,” said Matthew Holshouser as he observed a roomful of fourth- and fifth-graders exchanging computer skills Monday.
“We are preparing kids for careers that don’t even exist yet.”
The Hour of Code, started in 2013 by nonprofit Code.org, is an international effort providing tools and tutorials to introduce people young and old to computer science, with more than 70,000 events impacting tens of millions of students, according to its website.
The program’s designation is not literal, according to math teacher Christina Laughbon, as the week’s goal is to provide each student with about two hours of intensive instruction.
All of the school’s nearly 400 students are participating in the week-long exercise but the learning will continue, Holshouser said.
On Monday, members of Laughbon’s fifth-grade class each carried a Chromebook computer to Lisa Jensen’s fourth-graders, partnering up and sharing skills.
The assignments are simple and fun — the latest had the students creating an on-screen turkey in a blizzard.
“It’s complicated at first,” said fifth-grader Rolan Wright, 10.
“But once you get the hang of it, you can’t stop.”
Laughbon said the kids don’t need supervision to succeed.
“They are so engaged,” she said.
“We don’t have to show them how to do this, they find it on their own.”
Which is a good thing, Laughbon said, because the students’ computer skills have surpassed those of the faculty and staff.
“The kids are teaching each other and they teach us,” Laughbon said.
“They learn a lot of essential skills, like math, logic, shapes and spatial relationships.”
Adult activities
Aside from a presence in the Port Townsend, Chimacum and Quilcene school districts, the week includes events intended to stimulate adult interest in a programming career.
The first takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today at the Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Ave., Port Hadlock.
The other three events all occur Saturday; from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cotton Building, 607 Water St., Port Townsend; from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Quilcene Community Center, 294952 U.S. Highway 101; and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Port Townsend Farmers Market at the corner of Lawrence and Tyler streets.
Each event will provide participants with hands-on experiences in programming, using exercises based on the “Star Wars” and “Frozen” movies.
Computers are provided at the events, which are open to any member of the public free of charge.
For more information about the adult events, contact Jay Bakst at 253-709-2850 or email info@raviyah.com.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsula
dailynews.com.
