Coding @ The Zone

The Science Zone responds to community need for computer science education

The Science Zone has partnered with area coding educators to develop and deploy a computer science curriculum for young people who are interested in learning about computers and coding. The new program will be rolling out on February 26.

“Earlier this year Code Ninjas, a private computer science education company, made the unfortunate announcement that they would be closing their Casper-based location,” says Science Zone spokesperson, Trevor Trujillo. “Seeing the need for a computer science program in Casper, The Science Zone has teamed with several of the personnel and educators who worked at Code Ninjas, to build a youth-centric computer science curriculum for The Science Zone.”

The new program seeks to help kids achieve their coding potential by creating a level-based system that allows students to advance, starting with block coding, all the way up to using C# to program on the Unity engine.

The curriculum provides children ages 5 – 8 years old with the opportunity to develop mathematical concepts, problem-solving, and social skills through engaging in basic computer programming activities. Students will also participate in an array of easy and fun projects that use multiple kinds of technology.

“Not only do kids learn coding concepts and languages, but they also learn real-world applications and other computer science and engineering-related topics, ranging from 3D printing to drone flying,” says Science Zone Computer Science Educator Jess McIntyre. “We use popular games like Roblox and Minecraft as a tool to help kids get excited about learning.”

Roblox can teach things like 3D rendering and Lua, and Minecraft demonstrates circuit and electrical work using Redstone.

“The program adapts to individuals and helps them be in their best personal learning environment,” McIntyre added.

The Science Zone’s Coding Club will be open, drop-in style, from 3:00 to 6:00 pm Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. While students may come for any amount of time within that range, we typically suggest they stay roughly an hour.

The Science Zone invites parents, educators, and community members to join them in celebrating this new chapter in technology education. Registration for the afterschool programs is now open, and interested parties are encouraged to visit https://thesciencezone.org/pro... for more information.

For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact:

Trevor Trujillo

Operations Administrator

Email: Trevor.Trujillo@TheScienceZone.Org