Last week, as part of Computer Science Week, MVA’s Programming Team hosted the “Hour of Code” at Montverde Academy. According to Mr. Matthew Parets, Upper School Computer Science teacher, and the event’s coordinator, this year’s Hour of Code was a great success. Students from the Upper, Middle and Lower school divisions all participated together; helping each other out and learning from each other. What you ask is the hour of code? Sponsored by the organization Code.org, the hour of code is an initiative to get as many people in the world as possible introduced to coding, the idea programming.
“Why is this important? How many computers are there within five feet of your right now? Your desktop computer, maybe a laptop; your iPad, and your cell phone. Most people are within touching distance of at least three computers twenty four hours a day. Think of all the stuff you do with that smart phone that is always attached to your hand. The vast number of things we do with them, and the startling amount of time we spend on the is absolutely astounding. Now think about that a moment. How much of it do you understand? How much control do you have over it? How much control does it have over you? Learning to code is like learning a super power. You start to understand how the computers do those amazing things they do. And you start to take control of that thing that controls so much of your life,” said Mr. Parets.
In the last three years the Hour of Code has introduced programming to more than 167 million people around the world. Doing the leg work to promote the event were three of the Programming Team’s female coders Jordan Johnson, Celine Boucher, and Rahel Hirsch; with the entire Programming Team enthusiastically helping out. With more than thirty students in attendance, all having fun and learning to code it seems that it is never too early to start learning programming arts.
