Coding Kids Connect With Computers in Chester Schools

Students in the Chester School District, already well-known for its technical prowess amongst its peers, are putting that expertise to use during the national Hour of Code initiative this week.

Coding, also known as computer programming, has become a major piece of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) curriculum in school districts around the country.
The Hour of Code initiative, launched last year, challenges students to learn an hour of basic computer programming.

At Black River Middle School, which recently rolled out a 1:1 Google Chromebook program, students have been coding since the start of the school year and exploring various activities from code.org, Code Academy, Khan Academy and Scratch. Black River Middle School is also well known for its after-school group known as the Tech Detectives, where students congregate to help solve technical issues around the school.

The coding programs don’t stop at the middle school however, as Bragg Intermediate and Dickerson schools also participate.

Students at the K-2 Dickerson School will have to give other students directions in order to reach a goal, and students at the grades 3-5 Bragg School are moving through code.org accounts, a program provided by the organization.