La Porte County schools team up for Week of Code

La Porte County schools team up for Week of Code

In December 2018, all La Porte County public schools celebrated the national Week of Code which resulted in more than 12,000 students engaged in some type of coding activity – that is almost 70% of our public school student body! Coding is a key skill that teaches problem solving, communication, and how things work. Having this knowledge gives our community’s kids an advantage over others when they graduate.

Now, our public schools are coming together in 2019 to do it again! This year, all La Porte County public schools will celebrate a Week of Code during the weeks of December 9th – 20th.

The concept of an Hour of Code started as a worldwide effort designed to introduce students to computer science and demystify "computer coding." For the past four years, talented teachers in each school corporation, have participated in some type of coding experience.

For the second year, all La Porte County public school corporations are coordinating efforts and resources for cool coding experiences during this two week period. The La Porte County Public Library is making it easier for school corporations by training educators in skills identified in the Indiana Academic Standards. The skills associated with coding help students develop academic skills, and build qualities like perseverance, organization, problem solving, and communication.

The goal is to help students gain valuable 21st century skills and to create a talent pipeline of employees for the county and region. People, whether associated with a public school or not, can participate in Week of Code at the La Porte County Public Library. Free coding programs to give students an idea of how coding works will be offered by the Library at most of their branches during the week.

Visit http://laporte.libnet.info/events/ for details. The La Porte County Skill UP Network, a county-wide effort, emerged when mayors from Michigan City and La Porte, along with leadership from the Center of Workforce Innovations and Northwest Indiana Workforce Board, came together to apply for a Skill UP 3 grant from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

The Skill UP Network brought together economic developers, many employers, K-12 education, Purdue Northwest and Ivy Tech, the Unity Foundation, and the La Porte County Public Library to create a talent pipeline, with an initial focus on manufacturers in La Porte County. For more information on Week of Code contact your child’s school or the Unity Foundation at 219-879-0327