Computer Science Education Week!

Computer Science Education Week is the week of December 9th - 15th. Code Ninjas Round Rock is excited to partner with Hour of Code and offer three (3) opportunities for you to join in the fun at our location for totally FREE!

With technology changing every industry on the planet, computing knowledge has become part of a well-rounded skill set. But fewer than half of all schools teach computer science! Good news is, we’re on our way to change this.

Activities we are offering:

- 12/9 (Monday) 6:00 - 7:00pm: Join us for an hour long Scratch Session. Kids will build an “Escape the Ghost in the Haunted House” Game. Recommended for kids between the ages of 5 & 9. To register: http://bit.ly/cnrrcsweek

- 12/11 (Wednesday) 6:00 - 7:00pm: The kids will be creating the “Breakout” game in using JavaScript. They will learn conditionals, stacks and loops among other core concepts. This is recommended for kids between the ages of 8 & 14. To register: http://bit.ly/cnrrcsweek

- 12/14 (Saturday) 2:00 - 6:00pm: Computer Science Education Week concludes with our 2nd annual Holiday Hack-A-Thon!

The Holiday Hack-A-Thon is open to kids between the ages of 6 & 14 that have prior Scratch experience. Participants, working in teams of 2, will have 2 hours to create an original game using Scratch. We will provide them a template to help get them started. They will present their games afterwards and prizes will be awarded to the top 3 teams! See details on the separate Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/1492687477566098/ & register at http://bit.ly/cnrrHAT

What is Computer Science Education Week?
Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) is an annual program dedicated to inspiring students to take an interest in computer science. CSEdWeek is held in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (December 9, 1906). Learn more about the amazing Admiral Grace Hopper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Hopper.

What is Hour of Code?
"The Hour of Code is designed to demystify code and show that computer science is not rocket science—anybody can learn the basics," said Hadi Partovi, founder and CEO of Code.org. "Over 100 million students worldwide have tried an Hour of Code. The demand for relevant 21st-century computer science education crosses all borders and knows no boundaries." It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities but expanding to all sorts of community efforts.

Why Computer Science and why is it important?
Every student should have the opportunity to learn computer science. It helps nurture problem-solving skills, logic and creativity. By starting early, students will have a foundation for success in any 21st-century career path.

Technology is transforming every industry on the planet. In 2015, 7 million openings in the U.S. were in occupations—including art and design—that value coding skills. But 55 percent of schools in the U.S. don't teach computer science. It’s time for us to catch up to the 21st century. We know that regardless of what our students do when they grow up, whether they go into medicine, business, politics, or the arts, knowing how to build technology will give them confidence and a competitive edge.