AIM CoderDojo is landing in Lincoln.
CoderDojo is an unstructured, open-source coding club where mentors introduce young people to programming in a fun, engaging way.
The Lincoln classes will be this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at Hudl, 826 P St.
The first class, Exploring with Scratch, is for kids ages 8-12. Scratch is a programming language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games and animations. Kids in the class must be accompanied by a parent for this class.
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The other class, running at the same time, is Computing in Minecraft and is for kids ages 13-17. There will be a custom version of Minecraft designed for students to explore and learn how to navigate, build and collaborate.
Registeration can be filed online. Early registration is encouraged as space is limited—classes are free to attend.
The demand for information technology professionals is high, and AIM is promoting CoderDojo as a way to increase interest in pursuing IT careers among youth, according to Rod Armstrong of AIM. The program originated in Ireland and has expanded to several countries. Locally, CoderDojos have taken place in Omaha, Council Bluffs and Kearney. Dozens have attended the Dojos in Nebraska so far.
Several Lincoln-area information technology professionals are volunteering their time to serve as mentors, assisting youth with coding exploration. In addition to supporting the platforms used at CoderDojo, the professionals have a wide and varied background and can answer questions about their skills and careers, Armstrong says.
Additional CoderDojo sessions are planned in the coming months. The schedule and other details will be posted to the AIM Lincoln Facebook page.
