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Park Lane introduces Coding Kids to spark students’ interest

Feb 26, 2020 11:56AM ● By Julie Slama

Park Lane students are learning about creativity, problem-solving and communication as they participate in the new Coding Kids program. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

By Julie Slama | [email protected]

Park Lane fifth-grader Porter Liddiard likes coding. He knows Scratch and Java Script and is learning Python.

So, in January when his elementary school began a coding group, he joined. In small groups or individually, students are creating their own video games.

“I’m creating a Platformer where I can control the character jumping, climbing and avoiding stuff,” he said. “I’m learning now what I want to do as a game designer. I don’t have to be old or have money to code.”

Park Lane Elementary’s Coding Kids has 35 third- through fifth-grade students who meet weekly in two groups — one on Monday and one on Wednesday for an hour.

“I’m excited to do the coding club because there’s so much more they can do to tell and animate a story or a video game,” said Mercedes Roberts, Brainbooster technology teacher who is the group’s adviser. “Coding is a form of expression.”

Through the process, students can be creative with their animation, music and stories, while learning skills in communication, problem-solving and teamwork.

“The kids are smart; they catch on quickly. It’s important they know how to code, so they know not just how to use something, but understand how it works. They are learning skills that they will use the rest of their lives as there will be a lot of coding and STEM jobs out there — some we don’t even know yet — and so they will be able to explore their options,” she said.

After beginning Jan. 22, the kid coders organized their ideas and drew them. Then, they planned to pitch their video game ideas, select projects and form teams to work on them. Later this spring, the students will test the games and give them feedback before demo day, when they will show them to parents in May.

Principal Justin Jeffery said the idea to form the coding group came from a parent request.

“Coding is our future; many jobs will require these skills and schools need to respond and offer more computer science opportunities,” he said. “Introducing them now may spark someone’s passion.”

Fourth-grader Finn Herbert said he is planning to create a guessing game, which he believes will be a good video game to create as a beginner.

“I really like video games and it will be fun to make my own where I can make the character move and interact,” he said. “It’s just not a video I can make, but I could code a story. The best part is being able to code with friends.”

That is something Roberts hoped would happen.

“They are learning skills that they can use the rest of their lives,” she said. “They also are having fun expressing themselves and making new friends.”