CodeDay, a global event for students of all ages and skill levels, allows participants to learn and socialize.
In mid-February, two Silicon Prairie cities will put on events where students can come together to hone their coding skills, learn from area entrepreneurs and just have a good time.
Through StudentRND and its global event, CodeDay, student coders of all ages and skill levels from Cedar Rapids and Kansas City will both gather February 15-16—in their respective cities, at two different events—for a little more than 24 hours to socialize, learn and “build something awesome.”
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“The best time for kids to start learning coding is between eight and 14 years of age and I am amazed at the ease and speed with which they learn,” Saym Basheer, one of the organizers for CodeDay Iowa, told Silicon Prairie News.
Basheer cites a statistic from Code.org that says by 2020 there will be an estimated 1.5 million computer-related jobs and only 400,000 computer science students to fill them. He hopes that programs like CodeDay can help change those numbers.
But CodeDay isn’t just for students—Basheer says adult members of the community are necessary participants as well.
“Older members of the startup community have the opportunity to mentor kids and answer their questions at the event,” Basheer said. “Children need to see that a computer programmer comes in all shapes and sizes.”
Learn more about the two CodeDay events:
CodeDay Iowa
The inaugural CodeDay Iowa took place November 2013 in Des Moines. The second iteration of CodeDay Iowa will be in Cedar Rapids at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 5th Avenue SE.
“I am extensively involved with the startup community in the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids area and I constantly hear people saying, ‘We don’t have enough developers in the area,’” Basheer said. He hopes that continued coordination and promotion of CodeDay and similar events will generate greater interest in coding among students.
Early-bird tickets are available for $10 through Feb. 9 and full-price tickets cost $20. Register online via CodeDay Iowa.
CodeDay Kansas City
The inaugural CodeDay Kansas City will be held in Kansas City at the Sprint Accelerator, 210 W. 19th Street.
“Kansas City Women in Technology wanted to bring CodeDay to KC specifically because of its unique approach to educating kids typically underexposed to computer programming, like those living in the urban core and girls,” Jennifer Funk, one of CodeDay Kansas City’s organizers, told Silicon Prairie News. “We want to help these kids see their potential, not just to be technologists, but to bring to life their ideas for improving their schools, communities and more.
“Of course, once they get started, they won’t want to stop, and Kansas City is the perfect community to support them as they develop into our next generation of leaders.”
Early-bird tickets are available for $10 through Feb. 9 and full-price tickets cost $20. Register online via CodeDay Kansas City.
For more information about CodeDay, read our Q&A with inaugural CodeDay Iowa organizer Brett Neese: “Inaugural student CodeDay comes to Iowa Nov. 9-10 at StartupCity.”
Credits: Event photo from StudentRND’s Facebook.
