Computer coding initiative brings together P.E.I. teens and kids

Computer science students at Bluefield High School taught coding to about 700 elementary and intermediate kids last year and they're hoping this year's Hour of Code will be even bigger.

Bluefield High School students expanding participation in this year's international Hour of Code

Nancy Russell CBC News Posted: Nov 13, 2015 9:59 AM EST | Last Updated: November 13, 2015

Coding for kids

9 years ago

1:32

Bluefield High School computer science students bring the basics of coding to younger children in P.E.I. through an international initiative.

Who better to teach computer coding to young P.E.I. students than teenagers?

Last December, a group of 700 P.E.I. elementary and intermediate students took part in the Hour of Code, a worldwide initiative that introduces youth of all ages to computer science.

Computer science students at Bluefield High went to neighbouring elementary and intermediate schools to teach computer coding as part of Hour of Code. (Nancy Russell/CBC)

Brought to them by Grades 11 and 12 Bluefield High School computer science students, they were among tens of millions of students from more than 180 countries who participated.

The cross-generational matchup was a hit.

And this year they hope the Hour of Code will be even bigger.

"It was a great first experience for us," said Bluefield computer science teacher DevinClayton.

"They got great feedback from all the students and the teachers in the schools were really impressed, and they loved to see their ex-students go back to their schools and work as role models promoting something like this."

'They just wouldn't leave the computers'

The older students from Bluefield used simple coding programs offered on the Hour of Code website to teach the younger kids how to create their own games. They said they could hardly pry their young protgs away at the end of the lessons.

Bluefield computer science teacher Devin Clayton is challenging more high schools to send students to teach computer coding to younger kids as part of Hour of Code. (Nancy Russell/CBC)

"We had this whole closing scene prepared for them to take them away from the computers," explained Grade 12 student Dylan May.

"And they were having so much fun on the computers with the code, they just wouldn't leave the computers. They came and saw us at lunch and we let some of them play at lunch," laughed May

May said the programs on the Hour of Code website give a good grounding in how code works.

"They seem like games but they're really not," said May. "They're the basics of what we're doing here in Grade 12."

Jobs will be available

The Bluefield computer science students also talked about potential jobs connected to coding.

"When we showed them the point of how, in the United States alone, there's going to be about a million jobs short in the computer science industry," said May. "It really opens their eyes to what's out there."

Computer science students from Bluefield High used programs on the Hour of Code website to help teach younger kids how coding works (Nancy Russell/CBC)

The teens from Bluefield say they wish they had a chance to learn coding when they were in elementary school.

"I think early exposure to computer science and coding is important, rather than just coming into high school not knowing what it is, and seeing a course and immediately dismissing it," said Grade 12 student Taylor Harvey.

Fellow Grade 12 student NathanBurleigh said, "The first time it was offered for me personally was in Grade 11. Just like English class or French class in Grade 5, or whatever, it should be a class that is learned, even if it's as easy as these programs."

Expanding this year

The Bluefield Hour of Code effort is expanding this year to include Westwood Primary School. That will bring computer coding to an even younger audience.

"I'm hoping to get some other high schools following our model," said Clayton. "If other high schools did a similar model, we could reach thousands of students in P.E.I. which would be amazing."

Clayton said, "I'm really proud of them, what they did last year. It was a great experience all around."